Acute effects from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs in a para-professional health care worker.
BACKGROUND
While health risks from occupational exposure of nursing and pharmacy staff have been recognized, exposure of para-professional health care workers (HCW) has received little attention.


METHODS
This case report describes a patient care assistant who developed allergic reactions subsequent to exposure to urine of oncology patients who had been treated with antineoplastics.


RESULTS
The patient care assistant on two occasions developed a pruritic, disseminated rash shortly after emptying commodes containing the urine of oncology patients treated with Vincristine and Adriamycin (doxorubicin).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased attention should be focused on the occupational exposures of para-professional HCWs to potentially hazardous antineoplastics.
Kusnetz
Eliot
E
Occupational Medicine, Total Care Occupational Medicine, Somerset, New Jersey, USA.
Condon
Marian
M
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000506:poisoning*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced; D014481:United States; D014750:Vincristine / Q000506:poisoning*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin