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Prevalence of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and HIV Among Hepatitis
C-Seropositive State Hospital Patients: Results From Oregon State Hospital
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Meyer JM. University of California, San Diego, and San Diego VAMC. Journal of
Clinical Psychiatry 2003 May;64(5):540-5
Multiple studies have shown that individuals with severe mental illness are
at increased risk for acquiring infection from human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Moreover, patients
with chronic HCV infection are at risk for fulminant hepatitis from acquired
infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) or HBV, but there are limited data on the
prevalence of HIV, HAV, and HBV in chronically hospitalized U.S. psychiatric
patients without mental retardation who are HCV-seropositive. To address this
issue, a comprehensive screening program was commenced at Oregon State
Hospital (Salem, Ore.) beginning in 1999.
The computerized records of all nongeriatric adult inpatients at Oregon State
Hospital on April 23, 2001, were reviewed to assess physician compliance with
screening and the prevalence of infection with HIV, HAV, HBV, and HCV.
Among the 535 patient records reviewed, 94.8% of patients were screened for
HCV, of whom 20.3% were seropositive. Among HCV-seropositive patients, only
1.9% were not screened for HAV and HBV, but 23.3% were not tested for HIV. In the
HCV-seropositive group, 35.9% were HAV-positive, 49.5% HBV-positive, and 2.6%
HIV-positive.
The authors concluded that chronic psychiatric inpatients have high HCV
prevalence rates. Hepatitis C-seropositive individuals may be at risk for
complications unless vaccinated for HAV and HBV.
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