NEW-YORK-CITY POLICE OFFICERS INCIDENCE OF TRANSCUTANEOUS EXPOSURES

Urban based police officers may be at high risk for the transmission o f infectious disease. This study was undertaken to assess the incidenc e of needlestick and human bites to police officers based in an urban environment. A retrospective analysis of self-reported transcutaneous exposures and demographic information of police officers in the New Yo rk City Police Department (NYCPD) for 1992-93 was performed. Urine tox icology results of arrested individuals for 1990-91 was also analyzed. The transcutaneous exposure rate of NYCPD was 38.7 per 10,000. No dif ferences occurred between males and females although officers between 20-29 years old had the highest incidence. The highest exposure rate o ccurred between 4-10 years of service. Greater than 60% of arrested in dividuals tested positive for potentially injectable drugs. Urban base d police officers continue to have transcutaneous exposure incidents d uring their career. Widespread vaccination and continued education on universal precautions should be considered for ail officers.