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  • Title: Seroepidemiology of herpes virus infections among dental personnel.
    Author: Herbert AM, Bagg J, Walker DM, Davies KJ, Westmoreland D.
    Journal: J Dent; 1995 Dec; 23(6):339-42. PubMed ID: 8530723.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: To examine the possible occupational hazard of infection with human herpes viruses among dental personnel. METHODS: Sera from 81 preclinical dental students, 53 clinical dental students and 103 qualified dental surgeons were tested for antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6). The same number of control subjects, matched individually for age (+/- 1 year), sex and social class, was also examined. Antibodies were detected by ELISA for HSV-1, latex agglutination for CMV, indirect immunofluorescence with P3HR1 cells for EBV and indirect immunofluorescence with infected JJhan cells for HHV-6. Each participant also completed a questionnaire to permit correlation of demographic data and risk factors with serological results. RESULTS: No significant difference in seroprevalence was detected between any of the dental groups and their respective controls. There was a significantly higher prevalence of antibodies to EBV among clinical students (P = 0.02) and qualified dentists (P = 0.0003) than among preclinical students. These significant increases were not mirrored in the three corresponding control groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a possible occupational risk of infection with EBV in dentists. There was no evidence for a significant risk of occupational infection with HSV-1, CMV or HHV-6.
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