Key findings
- Health care workers (HCWS) are potentially at risk of acquiring blood borne viral infections following occupational exposure to blood or body fluid. A national network of hospitals is being established in Australia to measure the extent of occupational exposure to HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B in health care workers and the extent of occupationally acquired infection.
- This first analysis of the surveillance system was based on cases occurring in the six months 1 July to 31 December 1995 and reported on the database by 13 sites—12 hospitals and one community care centre. Three months follow up was available for exposures occurring prior to November 1995.
- In the 12 hospital sites, the average percutaneous exposure rate was 11.9 per 100 occupied beds and the average non-percutaneous exposure rate was 2.7 per 100 occupied beds.
- For at least a third of exposures, the source was tested for HIV, hepatitis C or hepatitis B. HIV prevalence was four percent, hepatitis C prevalence was six percent, and hepatitis B e antigen prevalence was 12% among source patients tested following percutaneous exposure by a HCW.