Abstract

• Objectives
  Helicobacter(H.) pylori is a major etiological factor in chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma. The mode and route of transmission of H. pylori are still uncertain, but there is a strong evidence for person-to-person transmission via the oro-oral or gastro-oral route or via the fecal-oral route. Persons involved in patient care are likely to be at higher risk of H. pylori infection than the general population if H. pylori is transmitted from person-to-person. However, detailed studies about the occupational risk in hospital workers are scarce, especially in Korea which is a high prevalent area of H. pylori infection. The purpose of this study was to determine whether different groups of hospital workers are at increased risk of acquiring H. pylori.
• Methods
  The staff members were assigned to four groups : 1) medical staff(n=39), 2) nursing staff(n=267), 3) medical technicians and pharmacists(n=48), 4) nonmedical staff(n=163). Serum antibodies for H. pylori were measured by ELISA GAP IgG Helicobacter pylori kit(Bio-Rad Lab, USA)(cut-off value ; 15 U/mL).
• Results
  The overall seropositivity was 70.4%(364/517). The seroprevalence of H. pylori was 64% in group I, 69.7% in group II, 66.7% in group III, and 74.2% in group IV(not significant). Seroprevalence increased by a little with age, but it was not statistically significant. There was no difference of seroprevalence between men(75%) and women(68.6%).
• Conclusion
  It was thought that the prevalence of H. pylori infection in Korean hospital workers is high and since there was no difference of seropositivity between medical and non-medical staffs, occupational exposure to patients does not increase the rate of infection with H. pylori.
• Keywords: H. pylori; Seroprevalence; Hospital