The management of health care workers' accidental parenteral exposures to biological specimens of HIV seropositive individuals.
Health care workers can reduce risks associated with caring for HIV seropositive individuals by strict adherence to routine infection control procedures. Educating personnel in infection control should be increasingly stressed in all health-related settings. When accidents occur, however, the health care industry must respond with appropriate care and follow-up of their employees. The outlined approach for the management of health care workers with needlestick injuries from HIV-contaminated biological specimens provides increased follow-up for workers at higher risk (those who develop illness in the months following an exposure) than current CDC guidelines; and less but sufficient follow-up of those who have a lower risk (no illness) of acquiring HIV infection. Overall, this protocol will provide a more economical, practical, and medically adequate method for follow-up of exposed health care personnel.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control