Compliance with follow-up after occupational exposure to hepatitis C.
BACKGROUND
Accidental percutaneous exposure to blood containing hepatitis C virus (HCV) is reported by health care workers more frequently than exposure to human immunodeficiency and hepatitis B virus. The transmission rate following such an exposure is approximately 1.9%. Little is known about the attendance rate of such staff for follow-up testing following exposure to HCV.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether our follow-up programme for staff exposed to hepatitis C would allow the early detection and treatment of infected staff members.


METHODS
We reviewed all staff exposures to hepatitis C reported to the occupational health department of a London teaching hospital over a 8-year period.


RESULTS
Of 105 exposures, 21% of staff attended for early (6 or 12 weeks) and late (26 weeks) post-exposure follow-up. Thirty-seven per cent attended early follow-up only and 1% attended late having not attended early follow-up. Forty per cent did not attend any follow-up appointments with us.


CONCLUSIONS
With the availability of effective treatment for early HCV infection, it is vital that occupational health departments encourage staff to attend at least for early follow-up. Access to HCV-RNA testing at this early stage should allow detection and early treatment of the small proportion who seroconvert.
Williams
Sian
S
Occupational Health and Safety Unit, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG, UK. sian.williams@royalfree.nhs.uk
Libotte
Valerie
V
Ramsay
Mary
M
D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D006113:United Kingdom