Fj. Bowden et al., OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS AND OTHER BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS - A 6-YEAR PROSPECTIVE-STUDY, Medical journal of Australia, 158(12), 1993, pp. 810-812
Objective: To prospectively study occupational exposures to human immu
nodeficiency virus (HIV) and other blood-borne pathogens. Design and s
etting: Detailed clinical information was collected and follow-up was
performed on all health care workers with occupational exposures to po
tentially infected substances at Fairfield infectious Diseases Hospita
l during the period January 1985 to September 1991. Results: There wer
e 230 occupational exposures reported. One hundred and forty-one were
considered ''significant'' or ''potentially significant''; these invol
ved exposure (or the potential for exposure) to blood or body fluids b
y the parenteral route or contamination of non-intact skin or mucous m
embranes. Needle/syringe assemblies accounted for 59% of the ''signifi
cant'' injuries, ''butterfly'' needles for 21% and lancets for 8%. ''B
utterfly'' needles were over-represented relative to their degree of u
se. Seventy-seven of the 230 exposures were HIV-related and 27 of thes
e were considered ''significant''. The number of HIV positive patients
attending the hospital increased progressively over the survey period
but the rate of HIV-related exposures fell during that time. After 19
88, 13 individuals with ''significant'' exposure to HIV received a six
-week prophylactic course of zidovudine. No health care workers seroco
nverted for HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C during the survey period.
Conclusions: The risk of acquiring HIV (and other blood-borne diseases
) through occupational exposure is very low and this risk can be furth
er reduced by adopting safe work practices.