NACO Guidelines: Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Occupational Exposure
NACO Guidelines: Post Exposure Prophylaxis for
Occupational Exposure (PEP) to HIV/AIDS
Dr. Asoke Kumar Sinha, MD (Skin)
Prevention and control of AIDS is now a Social Medical problem. Doctors in all health care setting are expected to play a significant role in its prevention. Health care workers including doctors are normally at a very low risk of acquiring HIV infection during management of the infected patient. However, inspite of a low statistical risk of acquisition of HIV, the absence of a vaccaine or effective-curative treatment makes the health care workers apprehensive. So it is very much necessary for every doctor to have a comprehensive knowledge to deal with accidental exposure.
Most exposures do not result in infection. Factors affecting transmission are•
Amount of blood in the exposure
•
Amount of virus in patient’s blood in viral load at the time of exposure
•
Weather P.E.P laken or not
Definition of an occupational exposure:
An occupational exposure that may place a worker at risk of HIV infection is a percutaneous injury, contact of mucus membrane or contact of skin (especially when skin is chopped, abraded or affected with dermatitis or the contact is prolonged or involving an extensive area) with blood, tissue or other body fluids to which universal precautions apply.
Prevention is the mainstay of strategy to avoid occupational exposures to blood/body fluids. Standard precautions (Universal precautions) and safe practices are:
•
Wash hand after patient contact removing gloves.
•
Wash hands immediately if hands are contaminated with body fluids.
•
Wear gloves when contamination of hands with body fluids anticipated.
•
Protective eyewear and masks should be worn when splashing of body substance anticipated. •
Needles should not be recapped, purposely bent or broken.
•
After use disposable syringes and needles, scalpel blades and other sharp items should be placed in a puncture
Occupational Exposure (PEP) to HIV/AIDS
Dr. Asoke Kumar Sinha, MD (Skin)
Prevention and control of AIDS is now a Social Medical problem. Doctors in all health care setting are expected to play a significant role in its prevention. Health care workers including doctors are normally at a very low risk of acquiring HIV infection during management of the infected patient. However, inspite of a low statistical risk of acquisition of HIV, the absence of a vaccaine or effective-curative treatment makes the health care workers apprehensive. So it is very much necessary for every doctor to have a comprehensive knowledge to deal with accidental exposure.
Most exposures do not result in infection. Factors affecting transmission are•
Amount of blood in the exposure
•
Amount of virus in patient’s blood in viral load at the time of exposure
•
Weather P.E.P laken or not
Definition of an occupational exposure:
An occupational exposure that may place a worker at risk of HIV infection is a percutaneous injury, contact of mucus membrane or contact of skin (especially when skin is chopped, abraded or affected with dermatitis or the contact is prolonged or involving an extensive area) with blood, tissue or other body fluids to which universal precautions apply.
Prevention is the mainstay of strategy to avoid occupational exposures to blood/body fluids. Standard precautions (Universal precautions) and safe practices are:
•
Wash hand after patient contact removing gloves.
•
Wash hands immediately if hands are contaminated with body fluids.
•
Wear gloves when contamination of hands with body fluids anticipated.
•
Protective eyewear and masks should be worn when splashing of body substance anticipated. •
Needles should not be recapped, purposely bent or broken.
•
After use disposable syringes and needles, scalpel blades and other sharp items should be placed in a puncture