The risk of HCV infection among health-care workers and its association with extrahepatic manifestations (Review).
Health care workers (HCWs) are frequently exposed to different biological agents during their activities and are frequently monitored. Among these infectious agents, human hepatitis C (HCV) can infect HCWs. In this review article, the risk of HCV infection among HCWs is discussed along with extrahepatic HCV-related malignancies, such as non‑Hodgkin lymphoma. Accidental contamination, represented by percutaneous and mucocutaneous infections is the main risk factor for such infection. The compliance of the protection procedures, included in the current regulation for HCWs, is the most important issue to reduce the risk of pathogen infections that in turn may produce reduction of infection‑associated malignancies.
Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95124 Catania, Italy.
Adriana
A
Garozzo
Section of General, Clinical and Oncological Pathology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy.
Luca
L
Falzone
Section of Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I‑9124 Catania, Italy.
Venerando
V
Rapisarda
Section of Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I‑9124 Catania, Italy.
Andrea
A
Marconi
Department of Clinical Pathology, Garibaldi Hospital, I‑9124 Catania, Italy.
Diana
D
Cinà
Section of Occupational Medicine, Department of the Environment, Safety, Territory, Food and Health Sciences, University of Messina, I‑98125 Messina, Italy.
Concettina
C
Fenga
Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece.
Demetrios A
DA
Spandidos
Section of General, Clinical and Oncological Pathology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy.
Massimo
M
Libra
D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors