[Post-exposure prophylaxis in Zambia; the experiences of a tropical disease specialist following a cut accidentally incurred while operating on an HIV positive patient].
The author, a 33-year-old man employed as a tropical diseases specialist in Zambia, accidentally cut himself during an operation on an HIV positive patient. After washing the wound, he took zidovudine and lamivudine and, on the advice of a counsellor and following logistical discussions with the Dutch Embassy, indinavir as well. Blood test results for HIV antibodies on the day of the accident, after 1 month and after 3 months were negative. After six months, two Zambian tests were positive and two Dutch tests negative. A confirmative test in the Netherlands using blood flown over from Zambia was negative for both anti-HIV and HIV RNA. For health professionals working abroad, there is a protocol for post-exposure prophylaxis. However, improvements to this can be made, for example, how and where diagnostic tests are carried out and where reliable HIV tests are carried out.
Stekelenburg
J
J
VU Medisch Centrum, sectie Gezondheidszorg en Cultuur, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam. jelle.stekelenburg@wanadoo.nl
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D019469:Indinavir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015024:Zambia; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine; D019469:Indinavir