The risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens is a serious problem for
Chinese health care workers. China has one of the highest rates of hepatitis B virus
(HBV) infection in the world, with almost 58% of the population demonstrating serologic
evidence of past or present hepatitis B infection.
1
,
2
,
3
This proportion reaches more than 76% in Hunan Province.
3
Hepatitis C virus is also present, with a prevalence of 3.2% for the total Chinese
population and 4% in Hunan.
3
In addition, the prevalence of HIV is rising. All of these bloodborne pathogens represent
a significant health risk to medical personnel.
4
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References
- Importance of perinatal versus horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in China.Gut. 1996; 38: S39-S42
- Hepatitis B control in China: knowledge and practices among village doctors.Am J Public Health. 1993; 83: 12
- Viral hepatitis in China: seroepidemiological survey in Chinese population (Part One), 1992-1995. Bureau of Public Health of People's Republic of China, Beijing, China1997
- A sero-epidemiological and behavior factors study of HIV, HCV, HBV, and syphilis infection among commercial blood donors.Practical Prev Med. 1999; 6: 174-176
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Article info
Footnotes
*Am J Infect Control 2002;30:277-82.
**Reprint requests: Warren Phipps, c/o Ann B. Williams, RN, EdD, Yale University, School of Nursing, 100 Church St. South, PO Box 9740, New Haven, CT 06536-0740.
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Copyright
© 2002 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
