title: Frequency of puncture injuries in surgeons and estimated risk of HIV infection.
abstract: To evaluate the occupational risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we surveyed 202 surgeons working in the New York City metropolitan area. One hundred seventy-three (86%) surgeons reported at least one puncture injury in the preceding year (median number, 2 per year; interquartile range, 1 to 4 per year). Seventy-six percent of the injuries occurred during surgery, and the median injury rate was 4.2 per 1000 operating room hours. Twenty-five percent of the surgeons sustained yearly injury rates of 9 or more per 1000 operating room hours, and these high rates were independent of sex, age, type of practice, operative work load, or hospital location. Fifty-three percent of all injuries involved the index finger of the nondominant hand. If the prevalence of HIV infection in surgical patients is 5%, then the estimated 30-year risk of HIV seroconversion is less than 1% for 50% of the group, 1% to 2% for 25% of the group, 2% to 6% for 15% of the surgeons, and greater than 6% for 10% of the surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lowenfels
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wormser
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*