Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
HEALTH-CARE WORKERS AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS
Ann Intern Med; 107(5):I145-57 1987. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/88645297 Anonymous; No affiliation given
Abstract:
Precautions to be exercised in the prevention of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as excerpted from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR 36:3S-18S, 1987), are presented under the following headings: universal precautions, precautions for invasive procedures, precautions for dentistry, precautions for autopsies or morticians' services, precautions for dialysis, precautions for laboratories, management of infected health care workers, and management of exposures. Relevant individual precautions are listed or discussed under each heading. Since medical history and examination cannot reliably identify all patients (pts) infected with HIV or other blood-borne pathogens, universal blood and body fluid precautions (also referred to as 'universal precautions') should be consistently used for all pts and especially for pts in emergency care settings. An invasive procedure is defined in the present document as surgical entry into tissues, cavities, or organs or repair of major traumatic injuries. With regard to dentistry, the blood, saliva, and gingival fluid from every dental pt should be considered to be infective. Health care workers with impaired immune systems resulting from HIV infection or other causes are at increased risk of acquiring or experiencing serious complications of infectious disease; whether workers infected with HIV--especially those who perform invasive procedures--can adequately and safely be allowed to perform pt care duties or whether their work assignments should be changed must be determined on an individual basis. If a health care worker has a parenteral or mucous-membrane exposure to blood or other body fluids or has a cutaneous exposure involving large amounts of blood or prolonged contact with blood--especially when the exposed skin is chapped, abraded, or afflicted with dermatitis--the source pt should be informed of the incident and tested for serologic evidence of HIV infection after consent is obtained. If a pt has a parenteral or mucous membrane exposure to blood or body fluid of a health care worker, the pt should be informed of the incident, and a procedure that is outlined for management of exposure of the health care worker should be followed for both the source health care worker and the exposed pt.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PREVENTION & CONTROL/ TRANSMISSION Dentistry Dialysis *Health Occupations Human Laboratory Infection/PREVENTION & CONTROL Occupational Diseases/*PREVENTION & CONTROL Surgery JOURNAL ARTICLE
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
