Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus in drinking water workers and wastewater workers in Texas from 1996 to 1997

To determine if wastewater workers had a higher prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) than drinking water workers, a convenience sample of Texas wastewater and drinking water workers was evaluated for risk factors by questionnaire and tested for anti-HAV. A total of 359 wastewater and 89 drinking water workers participated. Anti-HAV positivity was 28.4% for wastewater and 23.6% for drinking water workers. After adjustment for age, educational attainment, and Hispanic ethnicity, the odds ratio for the association between anti-HAV positivity and wastewater industry employment was 2.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 3.8). Among wastewater workers, never eating in a lunchroom, > or = 8 years in the wastewater industry, never wearing face protection, and skin contact with sewage at least once per day were all significantly associated with anti-HAV positivity in a model that adjusted for age and educational attainment. Wastewater workers in this study had a higher prevalence of anti-HAV than drinking water workers, which suggested that wastewater workers may have been at increased risk of occupationally acquired hepatitis A. Work practices that expose workers to wastewater may increase their risk.