Occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens in health care workers

Occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens in health care workers OBJE CTIVE. TO determine the rate of occupational exposures to blood-borne patho gens in differents occupations of heatlth care workers. To analize the char acteristics and autcome of the ocupational exposure. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We have evaluate ocupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens reported by health care workers during 1996-1999. The following data were collected: c haracteristics of the workers, type of occupational exposure, immunity stat us of the exposed worker, infectivity of the source patient and follow up s erologic testing of the worker. RESULTS. A total of 407 ocupational exposur es were reported. The highest rate of ocupational exposure was found among nurses (61,6%). Needlstick accident was the most often occupational exposur e reported (84.5%). Mucosal exposures with accidental splashes were reporte d in 15.2% of cases. In 14,5% of these accidents workers were at risk for o ccupational transmission of blood-borne pathogens. Among the different occu pations of health care workers, the rate of exposures with a source infecte d patient was higher in medical staffs (28.3%) than nurses (13.9%) The rate of exposures with a source infected patient was higher in accidental splas hes than in percutaneuous exposures (33,8%. vs 13,3%), besides in none of t he accidental splashes, employees had used appropiate barrier precautions. There were no cases of transmission of occupational blood-borne infections. CONCLUSSIONS. Although nurses are the health care workers with highest rat es of occupational exposures, medical staffs are the most often ocuopatinal ly exposed to a source infected patient. Universal barrier precautions are no appropiately used in most of the occupational accidents, specially in th ose involving mucosal exposures.