Facts About ... HIV / AIDS and Health Care Workers


Facts About ... HIV / AIDS and Health Care Workers

CDC HIV / AIDS Prevention Factsheet - May 1993
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Of the persons reported with AIDS in the United States through March 31, 1993, 10,122 had been employed in health care. These cases represented 4.7% of the 214,686 AIDS cases reported to CDC for whom occupational information was known.

The type of job is known for 9,681 (96%) of the 10,122 reported health-care workers with AIDS. The specific occupations are as follows: 285 dental workers, 997 physicians, 74 surgeons, 2,253 nurses, 1,834 health aides, 207 paramedics, 1,419 technicians, and 538 therapists. The remainder are maintenance workers, administrative staff, etc. Overall, 74% of the health-care workers with AIDS, including 762 physicians, 57 surgeons, 223 dental workers, 1,646 nurses, and 142 paramedics, are reported to have died.

Eight health-care workers who did not report other HIV risk factors seroconverted to HIV following occupational exposures to HIV-infected blood. Ninety-four percent of the health-care workers with AIDS reported nonoccupational risks for HIV infection; 6% were classified as having an undetermined risk (most of these are still being investigated to determine the mode of exposure to HIV).

CDC is aware of 36 health-care workers in the United States who have been documented as having seroconverted to HIV following occupational exposures, including the 8 who have AIDS. These individuals who seroconverted include 15 laboratory workers (14 of whom were clinical laboratory workers), 12 nurses, 4 physicians, and 5 persons in other occupations. The exposures were as follows: percutaneous (puncture/cut) injuries -- 31/36 (86%); mucocutaneous (mucous membrane and/or skin) exposures -- 4/36 (11%); and combined percutaneous and cutaneous exposure -- 1/36 (3%).

CDC is also aware of 75 cases of possible occupationally acquired HIV infection or AIDS among health-care workers who have not reported other risk factors for HIV infection and who report a history of occupational exposure to blood, body fluids, or HIV- infected laboratory material, but for whom seroconversion after exposure was not documented.

For more information:

CDC National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-AIDS

CDC National Prevention Information Network P. O. Box 6003 Rockville, MD 20849-6003

Keywords: Health professionals. Statistics. KWDhealthprofessionalsKWDstatistics
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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeard in 1993. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1993. AEGIS.