title: Accidental exposures to blood and body fluids among health care workers in a Referral Hospital of Cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accidental exposure to blood and body fluids is a public health concern, especially among health workers and constitutes a risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses including HIV, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and the post exposure management of accidental exposures to blood and body fluid among health workers in the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted from the 1st to the 30th of September 2013. Self-administered questionnaires to health workers were used to collect data on self-reported accidents, circumstances and post-exposure management. Their knowledge on accidental exposure to blood was also assessed. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi Info software version 3.5.4. Descriptive analysis was performed to measure the importance of AEB and to evaluate the risk of contamination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and fifty health workers were interviewed among which 36.7 % reported having been exposed to blood and body fluid at least once in the preceding 3 months. Splash was the most reported injury (in 60.3 % of cases), followed by needle stick (28.7 %) and cuts (10.9 %). Moreover, 43.6 % of victims were not vaccinated against HBV, 7.3 % were not wearing gloves during the accident and 41 % of splash occurs on injured skin. The majority of victims belong to the surgical Department [20 %, p = 0.2310]. None of these injuries had been reported in the registry of accidental exposure to blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high rate of accidental exposure to blood and body fluid in the daily hospital routine. Preventives measures, including wearing of protective equipment's during care and vaccination against HBV are not systematically done among health workers. Health institution should develop and provide standard operating procedures targeting surveillance of occupational risks, staff training, and supervision.
authors.affiliation: Denis & Lenora Foretia foundation, P.O. Box 14315, Yaoundé, Cameroon. njuliennestephanie@gmail.com.|Better Access to Health Care (BAHCare)/Meilleur Accès aux Soins de Santé (M.A. SANTE), P.O. Box 33490, Yaoundé, Cameroon. njuliennestephanie@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Julienne Stéphanie
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nouetchognou
authors.affiliation: Better Access to Health Care (BAHCare)/Meilleur Accès aux Soins de Santé (M.A. SANTE), P.O. Box 33490, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.|Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.|Division of Operations Research, Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ateudjieu
authors.affiliation: Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jemea@hotmail.fr.|Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jemea@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Bonaventure
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jemea
authors.affiliation: Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. dmbanya1@yahoo.co.uk.|Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. dmbanya1@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mbanya
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood; D001826:Body Fluids; D002163:Cameroon; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000067393:Personal Protective Equipment; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014611:Vaccination