Occupational aspects of hepatitis

The most important occupational aspects of viral hepatitis relate to the potential transmission of the bloodborne members of the group – hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) – from patients to healthcare workers and from healthcare workers to patients. For both of these viruses, and for both directions of transmission, this chapter presents the evidence that such transmissions occur, the possible routes of transmission, the magnitude of the transmission risks, and the policies designed to protect healthcare workers from infected patients and to protect patients from infected healthcare workers.