[550] A NON-INVASIVE 13C METHACETIN BREATH TEST ACCURATELY DETECTS LIVER FIBROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HCV INFECTION OR NON ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE

Backgrounds and Aims: The rate of HCV seroconversion after needle stick injury with an HCV-contaminated needle is frequently described in textbooks to be between 1-3%. However, these data are based on studies that were performed in the early nineties and few large follow-up studies on health care workers (HCW) exposed to HCV are available from Europe. Methods: We here analysed data obtained in our institution on 166 needle stick injuries with HCV-contaminated needles between 2000 and 2005. In addition, a systematic review on the literature on HCV-seroconversions was performed. We could identify 21 studies including a total of 6,692 HCW with occupational exposure to HCV Results: Between 2000 and 2005 a total of 1,431 occupational injuries were reported at our institution with about two thirds being needle stick injuries. From 2003 on more detailed information on professions of HCW were available with 38% being nurses, 29% doctors, 15% interns, 11% medical students, 6% technicians and 1% cleaning personal. In 166 of the 1,431 injuries the index patients had proven HCV infection and, importantly, none of the exposed HCWs seroconverted to anti-HCV antibodies with a follow-up of at least six month after the injury. Published studies reported seroconversion rates between 0% and 10.3% with a mean of 0.76% (51/6, 692). Studies including at least 100 HCW (n=7) reported seroconversion rates between 0.3% and 2.8%. Mean seroconversion rates for studies from East Asia (n = 9) and Europe (n = 8) were 1.7% (24 out of 1,425) and 0.42% (22 out of 5,128; p