To characterize occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection detected through case surveillance efforts in the United States.

National surveillance systems, based on voluntary case reporting.

Healthcare or laboratory (clinical or research) settings.

Healthcare workers, defined as individuals employed in healthcare or laboratory settings (including students and trainees), who are infected with HIV.

Review of data reported through December 2001 in the HIV/AIDS Reporting System and the National Surveillance for Occupationally Acquired HIV Infection.

Of 57 healthcare workers with documented occupationally acquired HIV infection, most (86%) were exposed to blood, and most (88%) had percutaneous injuries. The circumstances varied among 51 percutaneous injuries, with the largest proportion (41%) occurring after a procedure, 35% occurring during a procedure, and 20% occurring during disposal of sharp objects. Unexpected circumstances difficult to anticipate during or after procedures accounted for 20% of all injuries. Of 55 known source patients, most (69%) had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the time of occupational exposure, but some (11%) had asymptomatic HIV infection. Eight (14%) of the healthcare workers were infected despite receiving postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Prevention strategies for occupationally acquired HIV infection should continue to emphasize avoiding blood exposures. Healthcare workers should be educated about both the benefits and the limitations of PEP, which does not always prevent HIV infection following an exposure. Technologic advances (eg, safety-engineered devices) may further enhance safety in the healthcare workplace

To examine a comprehensive approach for preventing percutaneous injuries associated with phlebotomy procedures.

From 1993 through 1995, personnel at 10 university-affiliated hospitals enhanced surveillance and assessed underreporting of percutaneous injuries; selected, implemented, and evaluated the efficacy of phlebotomy devices with safety features (ie, engineered sharps injury prevention devices [ESIPDs]); and assessed healthcare worker satisfaction with ESIPDs. Investigators also evaluated the preventability of a subset of percutaneous injuries and conducted an audit of sharps disposal containers to quantify activation rates for devices with safety features.

The three selected phlebotomy devices with safety features reduced percutaneous injury rates compared with conventional devices. Activation rates varied according to ease of use, healthcare worker preference for ESIPDs, perceived “patient adverse events,” and device-specific training.

Device-specific features and healthcare worker training and involvement in the selection of ESIPDs affect the activation rates for ESIPDs and therefore their efficacy. The implementation of ESIPDs is a useful measure in a comprehensive program to reduce percutaneous injuries associated with phlebotomy procedures.

To compare the percutaneous injury rate associated with a standard versus a safety resheathable winged steel (butterfly) needle.

Before-after trial of winged steel needle injuries during a 33-month period (19-month baseline, 3-month training, and 11-month study intervention), followed by a 31-month poststudy period.

A 1,190-bed acute care referral hospital with inpatient and outpatient services in New York City.

All healthcare workers performing intravascular-access procedures with winged steel needles.

Safety resheathable winged steel needle.

The injury rate associated with winged steel needles declined from 13.41 to 6.41 per 100,000 (relative risk [RR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 0.31 to 0.73) following implementation of the safety device. Injuries occurring during or after disposal were reduced most substantially (RR 0.15; CI95, 0.06 to 0.43 Safety winged steel needle injuries occurred most often before activation of the safety mechanism was appropriate (39%); 32% were due to the user choosing not to activate the device, 21% occurred during activation, and 4% were due to improper activation. Preference for the safety winged steel needle over the standard device was 63%. The safety feature was activated in 83% of the samples examined during audits of disposal containers. Following completion of the study, the safety winged steel needle injury rate (7.29 per 100,000) did not differ significantly from the winged steel needle injury rate during the study period.

Implementation of a safety resheathable winged steel needle substantially reduced injuries among healthcare workers performing vascular-access procedures. The residual risk of injury associated with this device can be reduced further with increased compliance with proper activation procedures.

In 1998, the California Department of Health Services invited all healthcare facilities in California (n = 2,532) to participate in a statewide, voluntary sharps injury surveillance project The objectives were to determine whether a low-cost sharps registry could be established and maintained, and to evaluate the circumstances surrounding sharps injuries in California.

Approximately 450 facilities responded and reported a total of 1,940 sharps-related injuries from January 1998 through January 2000. Injuries occurred in a variety of healthcare workers (80 different job titles). Nurses sustained the highest number of injuries (n = 658). In hospital settings (n = 1,780), approximately 20% of the injuries were associated with drawing venous blood, injections, or assisting with a procedure such as suturing. As expected, injuries were caused by tasks conventionally related to specific job classifications. The overall results approximate those reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Surveillance System for Health Care Workers and the University of Virginia's Exposure Prevention Information Network.

These data further support findings from previous studies documenting the complex and persistent nature of sharps-related injuries in healthcare workers. In the future, mandated reporting using standardized forms and consistent application of decision rules would facilitate a more thorough analysis of injury events.

To identify the source of an outbreak of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among 3 patients occurring within 8 weeks of hospitalization in the same ward of a Florida hospital during November 1998.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 41 patients hospitalized between November 11 and 19, 1998. Patients' blood was tested for antibodies to HCV, and HCV RNA-positive samples were genotyped and sequenced.

Of the 41 patients, 24 (59%) participated in the study. HCV genotype 1b infections were found in 5 patients. Three of 4 patients who received saline flushes from a multidose saline vial on November 16 had acute HCV infection, whereas none of the 9 patients who did not receive saline flushes had HCV infection (P = .01). No other significant exposures were identified. The HCV sequence was available for 1 case of acute HCV and differed by a single nucleotide (0.3%) from that of the indeterminate case.

This outbreak of HCV probably occurred when a multidose saline vial was contaminated with blood from an HCV-infected patient. Hospitals should emphasize adherence to standard procedures to prevent blood-borne infections. In addition, the use of single-dose vials or prefilled saline syringes might further reduce the risk for nosocomial transmission of blood-borne pathogens.

Since the discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on the Chinese mainland in 1985, the virus has spread to all provinces and autonomous regions. Although much research emphasis has been placed on studying behaviors and transmission knowledge among high-risk populations, especially drug abusers and commercial sex workers, little has been done to measure understanding within other risk groups. The objective of this study was to investigate HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) knowledge and attitudes among hospital-based healthcare professionals in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China.

Data were gathered through a questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of individuals from three diverse hospitals.

Insufficient knowledge of the disease and its transmission resulted in more than 90% of the respondents expressing apprehension about contracting the virus and nearly 24% expressing reservations about caring for infected patients.

Uncorrected, such attitudes and knowledge deficiencies have the potential to impact negatively on the quality of care, patient-practitioner safety, and proper postexposure prophylaxis.

To choose the most cost-effective option for detecting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among blood transfusion recipients.

Cost-effectiveness analysis. Effectiveness was expressed as the number of HIV-1 or HCV infections detected, regardless of whether they were related to transfusion. To estimate costs, we assumed hospital insurance would cover costs related to detection and compensation, when granted.

A 2,890-bed acute care teaching hospital in Bordeaux, France.

Eight options were defined, from the simplest, which would be to do nothing, to a maximal approach, which would be to keep a serum sample in a serum library for a lookback and perform tests for antibody to HIV-1 and to HCV before and 3 months after transfusion. Data on probabilities and costs were taken from the literature and experiences of French hospitals.

The most cost-effective option was to perform viral antibody testing before transfusions (option 3), which would detect 27 infections per 1,000 patients, for an expenditure of US $1,260 per detected patient Option 6, obtaining a serum sample before transfusion and performing tests for antibody to HIV-1 and to HCV 3 months after transfusion, had a similar cost-effectiveness ratio but detected only 16 infections per 1,000 patients. Performing tests before and 3 months after transfusion (option 4), compared with option 3, would detect 1 additional infection for an additional cost of US $8,322.

The most cost-effective options are not specific to blood transfusion recipients and might be more suited to all hospitalized patients.