Document 0796
 DOCN  M9650796
 TI    The risks of occupational exposure and infection by human
       immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus in the
       dialysis setting. Italian Multicenter Study on Nosocomial and
       Occupational Risk of Infections in Dialysis.
 DT    9605
 AU    Petrosillo N; Puro V; Jagger J; Ippolito G; Centro di Riferimento AIDS,
       Ospedale Malattie Infettive Lazzaro; Spallanzani, Rome, Italy.
 SO    Am J Infect Control. 1995 Oct;23(5):278-85. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96126294
 AB    BACKGROUND: The dialysis setting has been recognized as a high-risk
       environment for transmission to both patients and health care personnel
       of blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus,
       and HIV. METHODS: A seroprevalence survey of HIV, hepatitis B virus, and
       hepatitis C virus infection among 1002 patients and a subsequent 1-year
       surveillance study of percutaneous injuries and skin and mucous membrane
       contaminations were carried out among 527 health care workers in nine
       Italian dialysis units. The risks of occupational acquisition of HIV,
       hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infections among health care
       workers were calculated according to a deterministic model. RESULTS: HIV
       antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody
       prevalences among patients were 0.1%, 5.1%, and 39.4%, respectively. A
       total of 67 percutaneous injuries, 29 mucous membrane contaminations,
       and 271 skin contaminations were reported by health care workers. The
       risk of acquiring infection was calculated to be 4000 and 8000 times
       lower for HIV than for hepatitis B and C, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The
       risks of infection with HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C for health
       care workers at dialysis units differ greatly and depend on the
       demographic profile and medical history of patients undergoing dialysis.
       To minimize the risk of exposure to HIV and other blood-borne pathogens,
       efforts must continue to increase compliance with universal precautions.
       Needle designs incorporating safety features and improvements in
       dialysis equipment design are also needed to avoid potential exposure.
 DE    Blood-Borne Pathogens  Confidence Intervals  *Disease Transmission,
       Patient-to-Professional  *Hemodialysis Units, Hospital  Hepatitis
       B/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*TRANSMISSION  Hepatitis B Antibodies/ANALYSIS  Hepatitis
       C/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*TRANSMISSION  Hepatitis C Antibodies/ANALYSIS  Human
       HIV Antibodies/ANALYSIS  HIV Infections/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*TRANSMISSION
       Immunoenzyme Techniques  Incidence  Italy/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Occupational
       Exposure/*STATISTICS & NUMER DATA  Odds Ratio  *Personnel, Hospital
       Prevalence  Risk Factors  Seroepidemiologic Methods  Support, Non-U.S.
       Gov't  JOURNAL ARTICLE  MULTICENTER STUDY

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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