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A study was conducted on 76 sewer workers in Quebec City to determine the prevalence of serum antibodies due to occupational exposure to Leptospira-interrogans and hepatitis-A virus (HAV). Sewer workers were found to have a higher prevalence of antibodies against leptospirosis than controls, though none of the positives reported symptoms of the disease within the past 5 years. The prevalence of HAV antibodies was not significant in sewer workers, though a significant increase in positives was observed with age. A decrease in the risk of HAV and a continued risk of leptospirosis were shown. The authors suggest that the reduced prevalence of HAV antibodies reflects a generalized reduction in the incidence of HAV infections during the past three decades, but warn of the possibility of a future outbreak and that this possibility should be considered when deciding whether to provide workers with vaccinations against HAV.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 52(8):505-507, 1995. (16 references)
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