Seroprevalence of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus in dialysis workers: results of a multi-center study

• Published in: Nephron (2015) Vol. 62; no. 4; p. 441
• Main Authors: Berlyne, G, Kaczmarek, R G, Hamburger, S, Hamilton, P, Moore, Jr, R M, Charney, A N, Kahn, T, Gruber, M, Kaufman, C E, Goffinet, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 1992
• Subjects: HIV - immunology; HIV Antibodies - immunology; HIV Infections - transmission; HIV Seropositivity - epidemiology; Humans; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Patient Care Team; Renal Dialysis; Risk Factors
• DOI: 10.1159/000187095
• ISSN: 1660-8151

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y., conducted a multi-center, multi-institutional study of the seroprevalence of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among dialysis workers. Seven dialysis units and 112 dialysis workers participated in the study over a period of 2 years. Participation was limited to dialysis workers who, by questionnaire, denied non-occupational risk factors for HIV infection. The vast majority of the study participants were drawn from areas where the prevalence of HIV infection and AIDS cases are substantially greater than the national average. Study participants received the ELISA test for HIV antibodies. All 112 of the participants tested negative for HIV antibodies. These results are encouraging, as they failed to reveal unrecognized occupational transmission of HIV infection among dialysis workers.