BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus is the most important aetiologic agent for non A-non B hepatitis. The study of the prevalence of hepatitis C in health care workers is of primary interest because of the possible chronic evolution and the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among health care workers in 5 main hospitals and local health units in Turin and analyze the influence of occupational and non occupational risk factors. METHODS: Health care personnel were administered anonymous questionnaires and testing for anti-HCV antibody was performed. RESULTS: Prevalence rates in 4517 health care workers was 1.97%; the prevalence was higher in elderly workers (> 45 years) than in younger ones. The risk analysis did not reveal any significant correlation between HCV seroconversion and accidental blood exposure. However, a significant correlation was found with non-occupational risk factors. Unapparent infection was an unimportant risk factor for seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis C prevalence in the population under study was comparable to that found in the general population. These results point to the need to reconsider the assumption that there is an increase of risk of seroconversion for health-care workers, in the absence of any occupational accidental exposure to hepatitis C virus.

Adult↗

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[Effects of long-term use of inhaled steroids (beclomethasone dipropionate) in patients with occupational asthma no longer exposed].

Ten subjects with occupational asthma who, were either no longer exposed or had minimal exposure, were controlled every three months after cessation of exposure. All subjects showed airway responsiveness to metacholine, complained of mild symptoms and had minor lung function abnormalities. The subjects underwent inhalation therapy with beclomethasone dipropionate (2000 micrograms/day) for 3 to 12 months. Although pulmonary function values and symptoms did not change significantly during treatment, PD20 FEV1 improved markedly after 3 months and further improved after the longest period of treatment. PD20 FEV1 after treatment was significantly correlated with the base PD20 FEV1 value and not with the FEV1 increase. Good therapeutic results were obtained in 6 subjects. In the remaining 4 subjects who did not respond to treatment, the base PD20 FEV1 value was below 200 micrograms. In 4 of the 6 subjects who responded to treatment PD20 FEV1 was lower than during treatment but higher than before treatment.

Administration, Inhalation↗

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[Respiratory impairment and metal exposure in a group of 68 industrial welders].

A group of 68 currently employed welders were examined who were exposed to welding fumes either for the whole or for at least half the working day and who used at least two welding processes, which were mainly manual metal arc welding and metal active gas welding, but also metal and tungsten inert gas welding, or oxyacetylene welding. The welders were classified into 3 groups according to the class of materials used, i.e.: 1) only mild and stainless steel; 2) mild and stainless steel and other metals; 3) only other metals. Chronic bronchitis symptoms were observed in 22% of the subjects; signs of suspected radiological fibrosis were present in 18%, initial signs of radiological fibrosis in 4%. Small airway disease was prevalent in the smokers (28 smokers versus 2 nonsmokers); one worker had an obstructive syndrome and another a restrictive syndrome (both were smokers). There was a good correlation between years of exposure and: 1) MEF25 in non-smokers; 2) urinary cobalt in the whole group. There was also a correlation between smoking and FEV1, MEF50, MEF25, PaO2 and urinary cadmium. Serum copper was higher in workers exposed full time than in those exposed part time. Urinary chromium and cobalt and serum copper were high in steel welders, lower in welders using steel and other metals and low in welders using other metals. Urinary chromium was similar in smokers and non-smokers. Serum zinc was found to be of little use for biological monitoring of welders. Urinary chromium was studied for one week in 10 full-time exposed steel welders. The difference between the chromium values at the end of the workshift and those at the beginning was small (low current exposure); the chromium values at the end of the workshift were not uniform in the whole group (different past exposure levels).

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

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