On December 2001, occupational exposure to HIV has resulted in 57 documented cases of HIV seroconversion in health care staff (PCS) in the United States. To prevent HIV transmission to health care personnel, the Centers for Disease Control and Disease Prevention offers the following recommendations.
Preventive Strategies
The health care staff must assume that blood and other body fluids of all patients are potentially infected. So, people should follow infection control precautions at all times.
These precautions include:
- The routine use of barriers (eg gloves and / or goggles) when you think you can come into contact with blood or body fluids
- Wash hands and other skin surfaces immediately after contact with blood or other bodily fluids, and
- The handling and disposal of sharp instruments carefully during and after use
Have developed safety items to prevent needlestick injuries. If used correctly, these items may reduce the risk of exposure to HIV. Many percutaneous injuries occur at bouncing sharp instruments.