ORIGINAL PAPER
Risk of occupational exposure to the HBV infection in non-clinical healthcare personnel
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1
Wroclaw Medical University / Uniwersytet Medyczny we Wrocławiu, Wrocław, Poland
(Department of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Acquired Immune Deficiencies / Katedra i Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych, Chorób Wątroby i Nabytych Niedoborów Odpornościowych)
2
Wroclaw Medical University / Uniwersytet Medyczny we Wrocławiu, Wrocław, Poland (Department of Patophysiology / Katedra i Zakład Patofizjologii)
3
Wroclaw Medical University / Uniwersytet Medyczny we Wrocławiu, Wrocław, Poland
(Department of Physiology / Katedra i Zakład Fizjologii)
Corresponding author
Weronika Rymer
Wroclaw Medical University,
Department of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Acquired Immune Deficiencies, Koszarowa 5, 51-149 Wrocław, Poland
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2016;67(3):301-10
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ABSTRACT
Background: Occupational risk of blood-borne infections is investigated mostly among nurses and doctors, studies concerning
non-clinical health personnel (nCHP) being rare. The analysis of the occupational exposure to the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
infection and the history of vaccination against the HBV in the nCHP group has been the aim of the study. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 458 cases of the occupational exposure to biological agents was conducted: group I – doctors
(N = 121, 28%), group II – nursing staff (N = 251, 55%), group III – nCHP (N = 86, 19%). Results: In the group III the source was
usually unknown (group: I – 0.83%, II – 11.16%, III – 86.05%, p < 0.001), and the proportion of individuals vaccinated against
hepatitis B before the exposure was the lowest (group: I – 98.35%, II – 97.19%, III – 77.91%, p < 0.001). In this group most exposures
resulted from injuries caused by needles/sharps deposited in waste sacks (60%) or anywhere outside of the medical waste
container (5%). The possibility of the HBV infection risk during the exposure was found in 25 cases and was significantly more
frequent in the group III. The qualification for the HBV post-exposure prophylaxis was also significantly more frequent in the
group III. Conclusions: The exposure to the occupational risk of the HBV infection also concerns the non-clinical healthcare
personnel. The non-clinical healthcare personnel comprises one of the main groups of the HBV post-exposure recipients. It is essential
to determine the causes of the low hepatitis B vaccination coverage in the nCHP and consider introduction of mandatory
vaccination in this group in Poland. Med Pr 2016;67(3):301–310