Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
San Francisco Chronicle; Tuesday, April 14, 1998
The figure of 1 million needle sticks per year is an estimate from the International Health Care Worker Safety Center, based on data from 70 hospitals around the nation. Higher rates have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and medical journals.
Estimates of the number of medical workers annually infected by the hepatitis B virus from needle sticks, which range from a high of 12,000 in the 1980s to the current figure of 1,000, have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and medical researchers. Death estimates of 200 to 300 a year in the 1980s are from the CDC and OSHA.
The number of workers contracting HIV from needle sticks -- 50 to 60 a year -- is an estimate by the International Health Care Worker Safety Center. The hepatitis C needle stick cases have been poorly tracked, but most experts estimate the numbers to be in the thousands each year.
980414
SC980409
Copyright © 1998 - San Francisco Chronicle Press. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the San Francisco Chronicle, Permissions Desk, 901 Mission Street, San Franciso, CA 94103. You may also send a fax to (415) 495-3843, or an email message to chronperm@sfgate.com. http://www.sfgate.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1998. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1998. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .