healthcarenHIV

The risk of health care workers being exposed to HIV on the job is
very low, especially if they carefully follow universal precautions (i.e.,
using protective practices and personal protective equipment to
prevent HIV and other blood-borne infections). It is important to
remember that casual, everyday contact with an HIV-infected
person does not expose health care workers or anyone else to HIV.
For health care workers on the job, the main risk of HIV
transmission is through accidental injuries from needles and other
sharp instruments that may be contaminated with the virus; however
even this risk is small. Scientists estimate that the risk of infection
from a needle-stick is less than 1 percent, a figure based on the
findings of several studies of health care workers who received
punctures from HIV-contaminated needles or were otherwise
exposed to HIV-contaminated blood.

Although the most important strategy for reducing the risk of
occupational HIV transmission is to prevent occupational
exposures, plans for postexposure management of health care
personnel should be in place.

Questions and Answers

		Are health care workers at risk of getting HIV on the job?

Transmission