Occupational exposure of health care personnel to hepatitis B and hepatitis C: prevention and surveillance strategies.
Ensuring the safety of personnel working in health care environments can be challenging and requires a multifaceted approach to target reductions in occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C. This article reviews the epidemiology of occupational exposures to hepatitis B and hepatitis C in health care personnel in hospital settings. The nature and likelihood of risk to health care personnel are evaluated along with estimates of seroconversion risk. The review focuses on prevention programs and available surveillance programs to aid in monitoring and reducing occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens.
MacCannell
Taranisia
T
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-A31, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tmaccannell@cdc.gov
Laramie
Angela K
AK
Gomaa
Ahmed
A
Perz
Joseph F
JF
D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011159:Population Surveillance; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination