Occupational risk of hepatitis C virus infection after accidental exposure

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to quantify the risk of infectio n by hepatitis C virus (HCV) in health care workers (HCWs) after accidental exposure. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in Catalonia (Spain) and in cluded data from 22 hospitals. All reported cases of accidental exposure to blood or other biological fluids contaminated by HCV were included, which occurred between January 1993 and June 1995 to HCW with a negative HCV sero logy at the time of exposure, and with a follow-up of at least six months. RESULTS: The hospitals reported a mean of 1.7 exposures per 100 beds per ye ar. Ninety one percent of exposures were needlestick injuries or cuts. Thre e cases of HCV seroconversion were detected among a total of 443 exposures, with a risk of seroconversion of 0.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14- 1.9%). Details of clinical and serological data of infected HCWs are includ ed. In all of them the source patient was coinfected with HIV. Overall, in 106 (25.2%) exposures the patient source was infected by HCV and HIV, with a risk of seroconversion associated with coinfection of 2.8% (95% CI: 0.59- 8.05%). None of the HCWs exposed only to HCV seroconverted. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of HCV infection after accidental exposure to infecte d biological material is below 1%. This risk significantly increases for si multaneous exposures to HCV and HIV.