Hepatitis B and C viruses among Egyptian dentists.

The present study was conducted on 105 subjects, 70 dentists working or studying at the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, and 35 non medical non dental subjects. There were 47 males and 48 females, their ages ranged from 20-50 years. Detailed history and the required information were collected from each subject and were recorded in a specially a prepared questionnaire study cards. 10 C.C. of venous blood were obtained from each candidate using Venoject, sera were separated from clotted blood by centrifuge; their sera were tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti HBs), Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti HBc) and Antibody to hepatitis C virus antigen (anti HCV) using ELISA (enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay) techniques according to Abbott Laboratories (West Germany). The ALT level (Alanine aminotransferase) was determined only for HBsAg and anti HCV positive cases using commercial Biomérieux kits (France). After statistical analysis of the results, the exposure rate of HBV among dentists was found to be 27.1% with a carrier rate of 7.1% compared to 31.4% with a carrier rate of 17.1% in the control group. The exposure rate of HCV infection among dentists was 1.4% compared to 17.1% in the control group. The exposure rate of HBV and HCV infections were 2.9% compared to 5.7% in the control group; these results and other important conclusions were adequately discussed.