1995 Volume 41 Issue 6 Pages 540-542
Serological screening for nosocomial infectious diseases (syphilis, hepatitis B and C) was carried out in 270 outpatients who underwent minor oral surgery during the period from November 1993 to April 1994. Based on their past history, the patients were divided into two groups:(1) a high risk group, consisting of 43 patients who had undergone blood transfusion, or had a high risk of developing postoperative or other types of infection, and (2) a no risk group, consisting of 227 patients.
The incidence of seropositive patients was 11.5%(31/270), including syphilis 1.5%(4/270), hepatitis B 1.5%(4/270) and hepatitis C 9.3%(25/270, including 2 syphilis patients). Even in the no risk group, at least 1-2 % of the patients were positive for hepatitis C virus, equivalent to the usual incidence in blood donors at the Red Cross Blood Center. In the high risk group, half of the patients were seropositive for nosocomial infectious disease, suggesting that preventative measures against nosocomial infection should be taken in high risk patients regardless of whether or not they have undergone screening.
