Surgeon, test (and heal) thyself: sharps injuries and hepatitis C risk.
Sharps injuries experienced by surgeons are common, but are under-recognised and under-reported. The overall risks of transmission of blood-borne viruses to surgeons are low, with hepatitis C posing the greatest transmission risk. Recent trials show that early treatment of acute hepatitis C results in a cure rate approaching 100%. Surgeons and theatre staff should be encouraged to report and follow up sharps injuries to allow early detection and treatment. Additionally, because exposures to blood-borne viruses may be unrecognised, surgeons should have regular tests for blood-borne viruses. There should be no restriction of practice in the "window period" between potential exposure and obtaining results of testing, because of the overall low risk of transmission.
Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia. watsonkj@svhm.org.au
Katrina J R
KJ
Watson
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013502:General Surgery; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment