Occupational blood and body fluid exposure of university health care workers

BackgroundOccupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens caused by percutaneous injuries or mucosal contamination is common in hospital settings.MethodsReports of exposures to human blood and body fluids from Padua university health care workers since 2004 to 2006 and compliance with follow-up after injury according to the patients’ source were analyzed.ResultsThe injury reports were 497. The residents in surgery and anesthesiology were significantly more injured than others, and the compliance with follow-up was low: from 26.3% (hepatitis B virus) to 40% (hepatitis C virus) with a positive source, less than 30% with a negative source, as far as 40% with an unknown source. No seroconversion was observed in subjects completing the follow-up.ConclusionWe suspect underestimation of injury reports and low compliance with the follow-up requests that health care workers adhere to the protocols and follow the standard procedures to prevent exposures to bloodborne pathogens.