Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(2):92-97 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3790

Occupational Viral Hepatitis in the Slovak and the Czech Republic

Jana Buchancová1, Viera Švihrová1, Ľubomír Legáth2, Oto Osina3, Pavel Urban4,5, Zdenka Fenclová4,5, Jana Zibolenová1, Dana Rošková1, Lukáš Murajda1, Henrieta Hudečková1
1 Department of Public Health, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia
2 Clinic of Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, P. J. Šafárik University, Košice, Slovakia
3 Clinic of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia
4 Center of Occupational Health, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
5 Department of Occupational Medicine, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Background: The proportion of occupational infectious diseases (ID) in the total number of occupational diseases reported in the Slovak Republic (SR) and the Czech Republic (CR) was decreasing from 1973 to 2010. Our study presents a longitudinal analysis of the occurrence of occupational infectious diseases in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic in the period from 1973-2010 with special focus on viral hepatitis.

Methods: The sources of data were national health statistics of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Descriptive statistical methods were used for data analysis. Incidence rate of reported diseases was calculated per 100,000 general population or per 100,000 people insured.

Results: During the studied period, a total of 2,931 and 8,318 cases of occupational viral hepatitis (VH) were reported in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic, respectively. The incidence culminated in the late 1970s when hepatitis represented almost 50% of all reported occupational infectious diseases. Most cases of occupational hepatitis occurred in health and social services. Since the early 1980s, a steep decrease in the incidence of hepatitis has been observed due to the gradual implementation of mandatory vaccination against hepatitis A and B in risk groups. In SR in 1973, the incidence rate of occupational infectious diseases and that of occupational viral hepatitis was 10.85/100,000 and 1.86/100,000, respectively. In 2010, these rates decreased to 0.74/100,000 and 0.20/100,000, respectively. In CR, the incidence rates of occupational infectious diseases and that of occupational viral hepatitis reported in 1973 were 11.75/100,000 and 3.69/100,000. In 2010, reported incidence rates were 1.71/100,000 and 0.10/100,000, respectively.

Conclusion: Although the incidence of occupational viral hepatitis has dramatically decreased in the Slovak and the Czech Republic as well as in other Visegrad group countries during the studied period, we emphasize the necessity of continuing epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis, especially with regard to the recent incidence increase of viral hepatitis C.

Keywords: occupational infections, occupational viral hepatitis, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, development trends, incidence rate, vaccination

Received: May 10, 2012; Revised: March 21, 2013; Accepted: March 21, 2013; Published: June 1, 2013  Show citation

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Buchancová J, Švihrová V, Legáth Ľ, Osina O, Urban P, Fenclová Z, et al.. Occupational Viral Hepatitis in the Slovak and the Czech Republic. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2013;21(2):92-97. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3790. PubMed PMID: 24053065.
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