Authors

1Isidro García Abad, 2Gerardo Ramón Pérez Torregrosa, 3Mercedes Arencibia Jiménez, 2José Antonio Delgado de los Reyes, 2Jaime Calle Barreto, 3Juan Francisco Navarro Gracia, 4Asunción Granados Luis, 4Rafael Jesús Almela García

Position

¹Enfermero de Medicina Preventiva del Hospital General Universitario (HGU) de Elche (Alicante). Profesor en la Universidad Cardenal Herrera. CEU de Elche.²Médico Interno Residente de Medicina Preventiva del HGU de Elche.³Médico de Medicina Preventiva del HGU de Elche.⁴Enfermeros de Medicina Preventiva del HGU de Elche.

Contact address

Isidro García Abad. Hospital General Universitario de Elche. Servicio de Medicina reventiva. Camí de L’Almazara, 11. 03203 Elche (Alicante).

Contact email: garcia_isiaba@gva.es

Abstract

Objective: to analyze mucocutaneous exposures to blood and biological material in healthcare workers in the Valencian Community collected­ over a period of fourteen years (1997-2010).
Material and methods: descriptive cross-sectional study with longitudinal component (1997-2010), in the catchment area corresponding to the Hospital General Universitario de Elche (Comunidad Valenciana). The information generated by the surveillance system EPINETAC was used, which includes accidental exposures to blood or biological material, and monitoring. Variables were also collected for identification, employment, use of protective devices, actions taken after exposure, vaccination status of the person exposed against HBV and serological status of the source. Data were collected through personal interview, review of employment records and medical history of the source.
Results: confirmations of mucocutaneous exposures have been increasing­ over the years. Nursing reported 44%, staff physicians 17% and nursing assistants 14%. The place of exposure was most frequently the patient´s room (34%). Blood was the most frequently involved fluid 76%.
Conclusions: mucocutaneous exposure in health workers depends on many variables: patient characteristics and work to be done, protocols and safety gear used, the equipment and structures in the workplace, but also of outmost importance are factors associated to human behavior and organization at work. These mucocutaneous exposures, though less numerous than the percutaneous, must be taken into account in prevention and risk management planning.

Keywords:

biologic material; biological risk; blood; descriptive Study; healthcare workers; mucocutaneous exposure; researchsurveillance

Versión en Español

Título:

Exposición cutáneo-mucosa a sangre o material biológico en trabajadores sanitarios