       Document 0169
 DOCN  M9610169
 TI    [Occupational accidents and incidence of HIV infection and hepatitis B
       and C at a Mexican institution]
 DT    9601
 AU    Huertas MA; Rivera-Morales IM; Romero C; Ponce-de-Leon S; Division de
       Epidemiologia Hospitalaria, Instituto Nacional de; la Nutricion Salvador
       Zubiran, Mexico, D.F.
 SO    Rev Invest Clin. 1995 May-Jun;47(3):181-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96002292
 AB    INTRODUCTION. The risk of developing parenterally transmitted infections
       in health-care personnel has become a challenge because of high costs,
       laboral incapacity and mortality, and social stigmatization. OBJECTIVES.
       To inform the incidence of occupational exposure in our institution, to
       determine the type of personnel affected and the circumstances of the
       injuries, and to assess the serologic follow-up of these employees.
       METHODS. The occupational injuries spontaneously reported to our
       infection control program from June 1987 to December 1993, were
       reviewed. Personnel categories, type of accident, instrument and
       circumstances of the injury, as well as serologic follow-up for
       hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or human
       immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, baseline and every three months
       during the first year were evaluated. RESULTS. In 6.5 years 260 injuries
       were registered in 240 workers. Two cases were registered in the second
       semester of 1987, 23 in 1988, 25 in 1989, 23 in 1990, 36 in 1991, 90 in
       1992, and 61 in 1993. Housekeeping and maintenance staff were mainly
       affected (32%), nursing staff in second place (27%), followed by senior
       medical students (20%). Eighty-eight percent were sharp injuries (20%
       considered deep injuries). Most of the injuries occurred after
       instrumental utilization: sharp devices disposed without the use of
       adequate containers (18%), inappropriate handling of sharp containers
       (14%) and recapping needles (11%); 36% of the injuries occurred during
       specific procedures. One HBV seroconversion occurred in 10 surface
       antigen exposures, one in nine exposures with an HCV contaminated
       source, and none in 54 accidents with HIV contamination. CONCLUSIONS.
       The increase in the annual incidence of occupational exposures is due
       most probably to more awareness to report the injuries. Eighty-eight
       percent were sharp injuries and at least 43% could have been prevented.
       Our main educational and preventive efforts should be directed to
       housekeeping staff, nursing staff, and medical students of our
       institution.
 DE    Accidents, Occupational/*STATISTICS & NUMER DATA  English Abstract
       Female  Hepatitis B/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Hepatitis C/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  HIV
       Infections/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Incidence  Male  Mexico  *Personnel, Hospital
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

