Infectious Diseases in Healthcare Workers - an Analysis of the Standardised Data Set of a German Compensation Board

Overview

Journal J Occup Med Toxicol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2012 May 5

PMID 22553942

Citations 27

Authors

Albert Nienhaus

Chandrasekharan Kesavachandran

Dana Wendeler

Frank Haamann

Madeleine Dulon

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCW) are exposed to infectious agents. Disease surveillance is therefore needed in order to foster prevention.

Methods: The data of the compensation board that covers HCWs of non-governmental healthcare providers in Germany was analysed for a five-year period. For hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, the period analysed was extended to the last 15 years. The annual rate of occupational infectious diseases (OIDs) per 100,000 employees was calculated. For needlestick injuries (NSI) a rate per 1,000 employees was calculated.

Results: Within the five years from 2005 to 2009 a total of 384 HCV infections were recognised as OIDs (1.5/100,000 employees). Active TB was the second most frequent cause of an OID. While the numbers of HBV and HCV infections decreased, the numbers for active TB did not follow a clear pattern. Needlestick injuries (NSIs) were reported especially often at hospitals (29.9/1,000 versus 7.4/1,000 employees for all other HCWs).

Conclusion: Although they are declining, HCV infections remain frequent in HCWs, as do NSIs. Whether the reinforcement of the recommendations for the use of safety devices in Germany will prevent NSIs and therefore HCV infections should be closely observed.

Citing Articles

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Jamaican healthcare workers on nosocomial infection control.

Jolly P, Li Y, Thomas A, Braun A, Padilla L, Thompson S J Infect Prev. 2024; 25(6):214-224.

PMID: 39493588 PMC: 11528614. DOI: 10.1177/17571774241245430.

Impact of occupational exposure to COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of an essential workgroup: New York City transit workers.

Gershon R, Merdjanoff A, Meltzer G, Piltch-Loeb R, Rosen J, Nwankwo E J Emerg Manag. 2024; 19(9):133-146.

PMID: 39332417 PMC: 9833648. DOI: 10.5055/jem.0599.

Awareness of standard precautions, circumstances of occurrence and management of occupational exposures to body fluids among healthcare workers in a regional level referral hospital (Bertoua, Cameroon).

Takougang I, Lekeumo Cheuyem F, Ze B, Tsamoh F, Moneboulou H BMC Health Serv Res. 2024; 24(1):424.

PMID: 38570843 PMC: 10993453. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10855-x.

Prevalence of mental disorders and high rates of absenteeism from work among healthcare professionals in Slovenia: a retrospective study.

Korosec D, Vrbnjak D, Stiglic G BMJ Open. 2023; 13(12):e075718.

PMID: 38070887 PMC: 10729225. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075718.

Knowledge of Medical Imaging Professionals on Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sukumar S, Saha S, Dkhar W, Panakkal N, Nair V, Bommasamudram T Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(5).

PMID: 36901340 PMC: 10001984. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054326.

References

Booth C, Matukas L, Tomlinson G, Rachlis A, Rose D, Dwosh H . Clinical features and short-term outcomes of 144 patients with SARS in the greater Toronto area. JAMA. 2003; 289(21):2801-9. DOI: 10.1001/jama.289.21.JOC30885. View

Tripodi D, Brunet-Courtois B, Nael V, Audrain M, Chailleux E, Germaud P . Evaluation of the tuberculin skin test and the interferon-gamma release assay for TB screening in French healthcare workers. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2009; 4:30. PMC: 2790451. DOI: 10.1186/1745-6673-4-30. View

Lee N, Hui D, Wu A, Chan P, Cameron P, Joynt G . A major outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. N Engl J Med. 2003; 348(20):1986-94. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa030685. View

Sepkowitz K, Eisenberg L . Occupational deaths among healthcare workers. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005; 11(7):1003-8. PMC: 3371777. DOI: 10.3201/eid1107.041038. View

Sepkowitz K . Tuberculosis and the health care worker: a historical perspective. Ann Intern Med. 1994; 120(1):71-9. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-120-1-199401010-00012. View

Buxton Bridges C, Katz J, Seto W, Chan P, Tsang D, Ho W . Risk of influenza A (H5N1) infection among health care workers exposed to patients with influenza A (H5N1), Hong Kong. J Infect Dis. 1999; 181(1):344-8. DOI: 10.1086/315213. View

Johnson J, Talbot T . New approaches for influenza vaccination of healthcare workers. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2011; 24(4):363-9. DOI: 10.1097/QCO.0b013e328347b0e7. View

Nienhaus A, Skudlik C, Seidler A . Work-related accidents and occupational diseases in veterinarians and their staff. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2005; 78(3):230-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-004-0583-5. View

Ringshausen F, Schlosser S, Nienhaus A, Schablon A, Schultze-Werninghaus G, Rohde G . In-hospital contact investigation among health care workers after exposure to smear-negative tuberculosis. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2009; 4:11. PMC: 2698921. DOI: 10.1186/1745-6673-4-11. View

10.

Wittmann A, Kralj N, Kover J, Gasthaus K, Lerch H, Hofmann F . Comparison of 4 different types of surgical gloves used for preventing blood contact. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010; 31(5):498-502. DOI: 10.1086/652158. View

11.

Haamann F, Dulon M, Nienhaus A . MRSA as an occupational disease: a case series. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2011; 84(3):259-66. PMC: 3037496. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-010-0610-7. View

12.

Costa J, Silva R, Tavares M, Nienhaus A . High effectiveness of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccination in healthcare workers from a Portuguese hospital. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2011; 85(7):747-52. PMC: 3440565. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-011-0714-8. View

13.

Nienhaus A, Schablon A, Bacle C, Siano B, Diel R . Evaluation of the interferon-gamma release assay in healthcare workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2007; 81(3):295-300. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-007-0212-1. View

14.

Wicker S, Rabenau H, Doerr H, Allwinn R . Influenza vaccination compliance among health care workers in a German university hospital. Infection. 2009; 37(3):197-202. DOI: 10.1007/s15010-008-8200-2. View

15.

Diel R, Loddenkemper R, Meywald-Walter K, Niemann S, Nienhaus A . Predictive value of a whole blood IFN-gamma assay for the development of active tuberculosis disease after recent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2008; 177(10):1164-70. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200711-1613OC. View

16.

Ho P, Becker M, Chan-Yeung M . Emerging occupational lung infections. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2007; 11(7):710-21. View

17.

Deuffic-Burban S, Delarocque-Astagneau E, Abiteboul D, Bouvet E, Yazdanpanah Y . Blood-borne viruses in health care workers: prevention and management. J Clin Virol. 2011; 52(1):4-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2011.05.016. View

18.

Wicker S, Jung J, Allwinn R, Gottschalk R, Rabenau H . Prevalence and prevention of needlestick injuries among health care workers in a German university hospital. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2007; 81(3):347-54. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-007-0219-7. View

19.

Baussano I, Nunn P, Williams B, Pivetta E, Bugiani M, Scano F . Tuberculosis among health care workers. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011; 17(3):488-94. PMC: 3298382. DOI: 10.3201/eid1703.100947. View

20.

Diel R, Seidler A, Nienhaus A, Rusch-Gerdes S, Niemann S . Occupational risk of tuberculosis transmission in a low incidence area. Respir Res. 2005; 6:35. PMC: 1087884. DOI: 10.1186/1465-9921-6-35. View