Prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV and Anti-HBs Antibodies Positivity in Healthcare Workers in Departments of Surgery in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Healthcare workers are at high risk of blood borne infections especially Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Such an infection may progress to serious consequences. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in all health workers in departments of Surgery in Azadi teaching hospital in Duhok. Anti-HBs antibody positivity was also determined in healthcare workers who gave history of immunisation. 192 subjects were involved in this study and ELISA was done to determine the HBs antigen, HCV antibodies and HIV positivity. Anti-HBs antibodies were also determined in vaccinated staff.None of the subjects included in this study tested positive to HCV antibodies (AB) and HIV. One male doctor showed positive test for HBs Ag (0.5%). The levels of anti-HBs antibodies were studied in 191 staff, 32/191 (15.5%) of our subject tested negative for anti-HBs antibody despite the history of vaccination. 12/115 (8.7%) of the female included in this study tested negative for anti-HBs antibody, while 20/76 (25.9%) of the males were negative (p=0.002).More research is needed to study the prevalence rate with a larger sample size and the inclusion of more than one centre.