The risk of occupational exposure and infection with infectious disease

The diversity of potentially infectious agents that frequent the health car e environment continues to increase. As a result, healthcare workers are at some degree of risk, for exposure to, and infection by, a variety of infec tious diseases or conditions. This article is devoted to the epidemiology o f major infectious diseases and conditions known to be transmitted in healt h care settings. In addition, the relative risk of occupational exposure to and infection by these diseases is also discussed as are general preventiv e measures associated with Standard and Transmission-based Precautions.