Abstract
Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are frequently exposed to the danger of infectious agents
through needlestick and sharps injury (NSSI). In Saudi Arabia, the hepatitis B and
C viruses pose a great threat to the HCW because of their high prevalence rate (8%-10%
and 2%-6%, respectively). Method: A prospective study on the management of NSSI at King Fahad National Guard Hospital
from 1996 to 2000. Data relating to the epidemiology of NSSI were collected with the
Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) data collection tool, 1997. Results: The results were compared with data as reported by EPINet 1998. Consistency was demonstrated between King Fahad National Guard Hospital and
EPINet 1998 for the occupational categories, locations, and the devices involved. Three
anomalies were noted: (1) housekeeping staff injuries ranked third at our facility
and eighth as reported by EPINet 1998; (2) injuries caused by devices discarded inappropriately commonly occurred
at this facility but were not reported by EPINet; and (3) injuries due to unsafe practices ranked third at our hospital but ranked
seventh in EPINet. To date, only 1 employee in our hospital had a seroconversion to hepatitis C. Conclusion: This surveillance highlighted risky practices and demonstrated employees and locations
frequently involved in NSSIs. An education program was designed for all staff at risk
of exposure, targeting higher-risk employees. (Am J Infect Control 2002;30:234-41.)
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Article info
Footnotes
*Reprint Requests: Ziad A. Memish, MD, CIC, FACP, FRCPC, FIDSA, Adult Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Medicine, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia.
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Copyright
© 2002 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
