title: Dental health care workers at risk.
abstract: Healthy DHCWs do not seem to be at significantly higher risk for occupationally acquired diseases when compared with other HCWs. Special attention should be paid to DHCWs who are more susceptible to diseases potentially transmitted in a dental setting. These DHCWs include pregnant women, due to their immunologic changes, and the developing fetus; DHCWs; those with habits such as excessive intake of alcohol; DHCWs following splenectomy, radiotherapy, and long-term corticosteroid therapy; and DHCWs suffering from diseases that have an impact on the first and secondary defense against infections, such as diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, sickle cell anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, or HIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Garfunkel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galili
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000276:immunology; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000276:immunology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003813:Dentistry; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology; D013156:Splenectomy
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones