| Anagaw, et al. 27
|
April- June 2011 |
Ethiopia |
200 |
100 collectors of health care waste (hospital) & 100 cleaning staff (who collect ordinary waste) |
HBV (HBsAg), HCV (Anti-HCV) |
HBV (OR: 6.3; p = 0.04); HCV (OR: 7.5; p = 0.02). Prevalence of HBV & HCV significantly higher in workers collecting health care waste |
| Rachiotis et al. 21
|
2007-2008 |
Greece |
210 |
102 collectors of urban solid waste and 108 gardeners |
HBV (HBsAg, Anti-HBc and Anti-HBs) |
HBV (OR: 4.05; 95%CI: 1.23-13.33) – progressive increase risk for infection with age. Accidents with sharps (RR: 2.64; 95%CI: 1.01-6.96) |
| Shiferaw et al. 26
|
May- July 2010 |
Ethiopia |
252 |
126 collectors of health care waste (hospital) & 126 who collect normal non-clinical waste in a hospital |
HBV (HbsAg and Anti-HBcAg) |
HBsAg (OR: 8; 95%CI: 1.02-63.02); Anti-HBcAg (OR: 1.5; 95%CI: 1.1-2.1). High prevalence of HBV in workers collecting health care waste compared with those who do not |
| Graudenz 5
|
September 2007/ February 2008 |
Brazil |
217 |
64 (landfill), 41 (urban solid waste collection), 35 (sweepers), 45 (drivers) & 32 controls (railway maintenance) |
HBV (Anti-HBc) |
No difference in prevalence of hepatitis B between study groups (percentage positive varied between groups from 6.3 to 20, with p = 0.439) |
| Franka et al. 28
|
January-December 2004 |
Libya |
600 |
300 collectors of health care waste (medical center) and 300 who collect only ordinary waste (urban solid waste) |
HIV, HBV (HBsAg), HCV (Anti-HCV) |
HBV (OR: 7.14; p < 0.04); HCV (OR: not given; p < 0.005). HIV not detected. Higher prevalence of HBV & HCV in health care waste group than in urban solid waste group |
| Luksamijarulkul et al. 25
|
Not stated |
Thailand |
354 |
169 collectors of urban solid waste & 185 public cleansing workers (not in direct contact with waste) |
HAV, HBV (HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc) |
49.4% seropositive for HBV, 5.9% for HBsAg, 37.3% for anti-HBs, 6.2% only for anti-HBc, & 85% with anti-HAV antibodies (p = 0.0058 most exposed collectors). For HAV no significant difference was found |
| Squeri et al. 23
|
March- May 2005 |
Italy |
327 |
All were workers who collected urban solid waste |
HBV (HBsAg and Anti-HBc), HCV (Anti-HCV) |
183 (55.96%) protected from HBV by the presence of HBsAb (98 by immunization and 85 by previous contact). 120 (36.7%) at risk of infection. 24 (7.34%) infected by HBV and 5 (1.52%) had contact with HBV and HCV |
| Mariolis et al. 24
|
Not stated |
Greece |
69 |
All were workers who collected urban solid waste |
HAV, HBV (HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc), HCV (Anti-HCV) |
37 (53.6%) were HAV positive; 15 (21.7%) had been exposed to HBV. Of the whole study group, 7 (10.1%) had been immunised against HBV. 4.3% were HBV chronically infected. One was found to be HCV positive |
| Dounias et al. 22
|
September 1999/ December 2001 |
Greece |
159 |
71 collectors of urban solid waste & 88 office workers (not in direct contact with waste) |
HBV (HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc) |
Prevalence of HBsAg was higher in exposed (11.3%) than in non-exposed (4.5%), but difference was not significant. Prevalence of anti-HBc was 24% among exposed and 8% in non-exposed, also not significant |
| Ferreira et al. 29
|
May- July 1996 |
Brazil |
186 |
31 collectors de health care waste (hospitals) & 155 collectors of domestic urban solid waste |
HBV (Anti-HBc) |
HBV (OR: 0.9; 95%CI: 0.24-3.05;). No significant difference in risk found between the groups of workers studied |
| Corrao et al. 19
|
Not stated |
Italy |
93 |
45 sweepers, 21 waste collectors, 19 machine operators, 5 sewer workers and 3 office workers |
HAV, HBV (HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-Hbc) |
Positive for HBV in each group were: 9 (20.0%) sweepers, 6 (28.6%) waste collectors, 1 (5.3%) machine operator, 2 (40.0%) sewer workers and 0 (0.0%) among the office workers |
