医务人员职业损伤的研究分析

目的：研究分析医务人员因针头或其他尖锐器具造成损伤的发生率及其原因。方法：对610名医务人员进行问卷调查，被调查人员包括医生，护士，技师和实验工作人员。被调查者通过回顾的方式，如实填写过去一年内皮肤损伤的原因，次数及所采取的预防措施，回收有效问卷581份（95％），结果：在581名被调查者中，共发生1811例次皮肤务污染事件，其中54％是被污染血液后的内孔针头引起的，医务人员清楚地了解，有13％的病人患有乙肝，丙肝，梅毒，艾滋病等可以通过血液传播的疾病，每名医师（技师）每年有2．85次皮肤损伤几率，每名护士每年有3．4次皮肤损伤几率,所有的损伤事故发生后，均采用强力碘等消毒伤口，并有针对性地采取大量盐水冲洗，注射乙肝疫苗，高效免疫球蛋白等措施，结论：医务人员的这种损伤与他们的特殊职业有密切的关联，54％的损伤是在内孔针头充满血液的情况下造成的，具有很高的传播疾病的危险性，因此，应采取针对性的防护安全教育，预防事故发生。     

The use of a quality-improvement approach to reduce needlestick injuries in a Saudi Arabian hospital

OBJECTIVE/DESIGN: An increase was noted in the incidence of needlestick injuries in our institution. A retrospective study was carried out analyzing the accident reports and medical records of needle-stick injuries from January 1995 to July 1996. Study variables included monthly incidence; location; injury site; mechanism; staff vocational status; source virological status; staff immunity; and serological conversion to hepatitis B and C viruses and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). SETTING: 350-bed general hospital in Western Saudi Arabia employing 2,083 employees of many different nationalities. RESULTS: 126 injuries were identified. Thirty percent of injuries occurred in the operating room and 28% on general wards. Twenty-five injuries occurred during a surgical procedure in the operating room, 22 injuries were caused by undisposed sharps, 11 occurred during suturing, 11 occurred during injection, and 10 occurred while disposing of refuse. At least 38% of the injuries were avoidable. Sixty percent of those injured were nurses, 30% were medical staff, and 6% were housekeeping staff. Nine of the identifiable sources were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive, nine were hepatitis C antibody-positive, and none were anti-HIV positive. Eighty-nine percent of injuries involved the hands. None of our injured employees had seroconverted at 3, 6, or 9 months follow-up to HIV, hepatitis C, or hepatitis B. Eighty-four percent of injured staff were hepatitis B immune. CONCLUSION: Steps taken to reduce the future incidence of injuries included the provision of readily accessible sharps boxes, a hospitalwide education program focusing on safe handling and disposal of sharps, and the development of clear policies and procedures for dealing with sharps injuries. A further study will be conducted 12 months after the introduction of these measures.     

Needlestick injuries in a tertiary care centre in Mumbai, India

Accidental exposure from blood/body fluid of patients is a risk to healthcare workers (HCWs). Percutaneous injury is the most common method of exposure to blood-borne pathogens. A policy was formulated at our institute, a tertiary care centre in central Mumbai, and we report a six-year (1998--2003) ongoing surveillance of needlestick injuries. Of the 380 HCWs who reported needlestick injuries, 45% were nurses, 33% were attendants, 11% were doctors and 11% were technicians. On source analysis, 23, 15 and 12 were positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), respectively. Immediate action following potential exposure included washing the wound with soap and water, encouraging bleeding and reporting the incident to the emergency room. Analysis of the source of injuries revealed that known sources accounted for 254 injuries, and unknown sources from garbage bags and Operating Theatre instruments accounted for 126 injuries. Most needlestick injuries occurred during intravenous line insertion (N=112), followed by blood collection (N=69), surgical blade injury (N=36) and recapping needles (N=36). Immediate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HCWs who sustained injuries with hepatitis-B-virus-positive patients included booster hepatitis B immunization for those positive for antiHBs. A full course of immunization with hepatitis B immunoglobulin was given to those who were antiHBs negative. All staff who sustained injury with HIV were given immediate antiretroviral therapy (AZT 600 mg/day) for six weeks. Subsequent six-month follow-up showed zero seroconversion.     

Needlestick and sharps injuries among nurses in the healthcare sector in a city of western Turkey

The aims of this study were to determine the rate of bloodborne infections after needlestick and sharps injuries in nurses at work, to estimate the number of vaccinations administered, and to assess whether universal precautions were being followed. The study involved 289 nurses working in five hospitals and six primary healthcare centres. Between 1 April 2002 and 31 June 2002, a total of 139 practising nurses were included in the study following a needlestick or sharps injury. The results of completed questionnaires were collated, and Chi-squared test was used for analysis. The rate of hollow-bored needle-related injuries was 76.2% (106/139). Most nurses (69.1%) did not report any details of their injuries and 32.4% (45/139) of nurses had not been vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV). Only 5.3% of the nurses who responded to the compliance question indicated that they always complied with universal precautions. Of 139 nurses, 1.4% and 7.9% showed evidence of HBV infection and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, respectively. All those who had hepatitis B were aged 30 years or under, whereas most of those who were anti-HCV positive (81.8%) were over 30 years old (P < 0.05). Nurses working in the Turkish healthcare sector are frequently exposed to bloodborne infections. Precautions and protection from needlestick and sharps injuries are important in preventing infection of nurses. Education about the transmission of bloodborne infections, vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis must be implemented. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the risk to nurses of contracting these potentially serious infections.     

Sharps disposal containers

Sharps disposal containers are specially designed containers into which used needles and other medical-waste sharps are discarded. They are intended to protect hospital employees--including sharps users and other workers downstream--from sharps injuries that result from contact with needles and other sharp devices. Since our last Evaluation of sharps containers in August-September 1993, manufacturers have introduced various new designs that may further reduce the risk of needlesticks and other sharp-object injuries (SOIs). These designs are intended to prevent users from overfilling the sharps container; they are also easier to use and better constructed. In this study, we evaluated eight models of sharps containers from four suppliers. None of the evaluated devices meet all our criteria; they all have disadvantages that could result in a needlestick. However, the devices that we rate Preferred or Acceptable meet our basic requirements for preventing SOIs and perform satisfactorily against most of our criteria. The eight evaluated models run the gamut: one is Preferred, four are Acceptable, two are Not Recommended, and one is Unacceptable.     

Preventing needlesticks in emergency medical system workers.

Emergency medical system (EMS) workers frequently use sharp devices in injury-prone circumstances that involve limited visibility, confined spaces, rapidly moving vehicles, and uncooperative victims. This study examined the efficacy of an automatic self-retracting lancet in reducing needlestick injuries and related direct and indirect costs. Subjects were 477 active-duty EMS workers. Counseling, laboratory testing (hepatitis B and C, hepatic function enzymes, and human immunodeficiency virus), antiviral prophylaxis, and immunizations were provided according to US Public Health Service guidelines. Baseline and biennial laboratory testing for hepatitis B and C and liver function enzymes were conducted. After the introduction of a spring-loaded automatic-retracting type glucometer lancet device, needlestick injuries decreased from 16 per 954 EMS worker-years to 2 per 477 EMS worker-years. The annualized cost of treatment declined from $8276 to $2068. The change to a self-retracting device decreased the number of needlestick injuries and was cost-effective with a minimal increase in device cost (annualized $366 per year).     

陕西省30所医疗机构医务人员锐器伤调查

目的了解陕西省医务人员锐器伤(sharp injuries,SI)发生情况,为制定预防措施,降低SI发生率提供科学依据。方法采用问卷调查方式,对2011年5月1-31日陕西省30所医疗机构SI发生情况进行横断面调查。结果有效调查16 386名调查对象,其中1 489例（9.09%）发生SI 1 901例次,SI平均发生密度为0.12次/（人·月）。护士（10.36%）和工作年限为5～10年的工作人员（10.38%）是SI发生的高危人群;SI发生例次较高的地点为普通病房（37.88%）及手术室（23.25%）;注射器针头（33.98%）、静脉输液头皮针（23.25%）及手术缝针（16.73%）是造成医务人员SI的主要医疗器具;手术缝合（14.31%）、将针头放入锐器盒（11.20%）、拔除动（静）脉针（9.89%）和双手回套针帽（9.68%）等操作是造成医务人员SI的主要环节;1 351例次(71.07%)SI可追溯暴露源,781例次(41.08%)为污染SI,其中54例次为血源性疾病暴露,血源性疾病暴露率为4.00%。血源性暴露中,乙型肝炎病毒占74.07%（40/54）,梅毒占12.96%（7/54）,丙型肝炎病毒占11.11%（6/54）,人免疫缺陷病毒占1.85%（1/54）。结论SI是医疗机构常见的职业损害,应通过减少不必要的锐器接触、推行使用安全器械、执行标准操作规程、实施安全防护等措施,有效降低SI发生率。     

HIV infection risk to health-care workers

The risk of occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in exposed health-care workers has been estimated to be 0.5% after accidental needlestick with an HIV-contaminated needle. Needlestick injuries resulting in parenteral exposure to HIV-infected material are the most common reported cause of occupational HIV infection in health-care workers. With 60% of these exposures unpreventable even with strict adherence to current infection control procedures, it is necessary to develop technical changes in work protection in order to further reduce the risk.     

Sharps injuries among hospital support personnel

Sharps injuries (SIs) among support personnel in hospitals have received little attention in the scientific literature. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to measure the incidence of SIs in Taiwanese support personnel. All support personnel, including laundry workers, cleaners, porters and central supply workers, from 16 hospitals were surveyed for SIs, sustained between June 1996 and July 1997. Either a questionnaire or face-to-face interviews, for those staff with a literacy problem, were used. Of the 862 persons eligible for study, 79.4% (684) were evaluable. Few staff (30.4%) had attended a prevention programme and 61% had suffered an SI in the past year. Few (25.4%) reported their injury. Hollow-bore needles, of which 72.2% had been used, were associated with 42.2% of injuries. Cleaners sustained the majority (65.7%) of injuries, and inappropriate disposal was associated with 54.7% of all injuries. For those staff employed for more than four years, the risk of sustaining an injury increased significantly with length of employment (P<0.001). Most of the injuries were sustained by cleaners handling sharps inappropriately disposed of by clinical staff. A safer environment for support staff could be achieved with the co-operation of clinical staff to correctly dispose of sharps to ensure single handling of sharps. A formal orientation of support staff in the reporting of SIs would enable clinical assessment and management of injuries, as well as an evaluation of needle and sharps safety in the healthcare setting.     

The impact of multifocused interventions on sharps injury rates at an acute-care hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of a multifocused interventional program on sharps injury rates. DESIGN: Sharps injury data were collected prospectively over a 9-year period (1990-1998). Pre- and postinterventional rates were compared after the implementation of sharps injury prevention interventions, which consisted of administrative, work-practice, and engineering controls (ie, the introduction of an anti-needlestick intravenous catheter and a new sharps disposal system). SETTING: Sharps injury data were collected from healthcare workers employed by a mid-sized, acute-care community hospital. RESULTS: Preinterventional annual sharps injury incidence rates decreased significantly from 82 sharps injuries/1,000 worked full-time-equivalent employees (WFTE) to 24 sharps injuries/1,000 WFTE employees postintervention (P<.0001), representing a 70% decline in incidence rate overall. Over the course of the study, the incidence rate for sharps injuries related to intravenous lines declined by 93%, hollow-bore needlesticks decreased by 75%, and non-hollow-bore injuries decreased by 25%. CONCLUSION: The implementation of a multifocused interventional program led to a significant and sustained decrease in the overall rate of sharps injuries in hospital-based healthcare workers.     

Sharps injuries in UK health care: a review of injury rates, viral transmission and potential efficacy of safety devices

AIMS: To review the literature on sharps injuries and occupational bloodborne virus transmission in health care in the UK and the worldwide evidence for injury prevention of sharps safety devices. METHODS: Literature review by online database and Internet resource search. RESULTS: Twenty-four relevant publications were identified regarding UK reported sharps injury rates. UK studies showed as much as a 10-fold difference between injuries reported through standard reporting systems (0.78-5.15 per 100 person-years) and rates estimated from retrospective questionnaires of clinical populations (30-284 per 100 person-years). National surveillance data from England, Wales and Northern Ireland gives a rate of 1.43 known hepatitis C virus or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmissions to health care workers per annum. When extrapolated, this suggests an approximate rate of 0.009 such viral transmissions per 1000 hospital beds per annum. Risk of infection from sources with no risk factors is extremely small (less than one in one million for HIV transmission based on Scottish data). Thirty-one studies on the efficacy of sharps safety devices showed evidence of a reduction in injuries, with the greatest reductions achieved by blunt suture needles and safety cannulae. CONCLUSIONS: Although injuries remain common, confirmed viral transmission in the UK has been relatively rare. The degree of under-reporting of sharps injuries may be as much as 10-fold. Safety-engineered devices are likely to be effective at injury reduction.     

Bloodborne exposures at a United States Army Medical Center

With the ultimate goal of minimizing exposures, we conducted a hazard analysis on bloodborne disease transmission at our hospital to identify appropriate control interventions. We utilized basic principles of occupational epidemiology to gather information on the severity and extent of exposures. Because we suspected inadequate reporting of needlestick injuries, we collected 339 reported exposures of health care workers; we conducted a survey of all workers requiring universal precautions training for bloodborne pathogens. The annual incidence of exposures reported was 93.7 per 1000 workers who required this training. Sharps accounted for 83.5 percent of these exposures. Exposure sources demonstrated 4.3 percent positive for HIV, 4.4 percent positive for hepatitis B, and 7.1 percent positive for hepatitis C. The survey indicated that blood/body fluid exposures were underreported by at least fourfold. House officers were most at risk. At-risk behaviors were identified by the significant differences in knowledge of HIV transmission and work practices between groups reporting no or single exposures versus groups reporting multiple exposures. Increased emphasis should be placed on education, reporting exposures, and training house officers in procedures requiring the use of hollow bore needles. This study shows how the use of occupational epidemiology principles and methods were utilized in conducting a thorough hazard analysis and in identifying appropriate control methods.     

Injection practices in southern part of India

The World Health Organization defines 'a safe injection' as one that does not harm the recipient, does not expose the provider to any avoidable risk, and does not result in any waste that is dangerous to the community. Irrational and unsafe injection practices are rife in developing countries. The objective of the present study was to assess the injection practices in the state of Tamilnadu, India, using the Rapid assessment and response guide of the Safe Injection Global Network of the World Health Organization. Thirty-nine prescribers, 62 providers, and 175 members of the general public were interviewed. The areas were chosen out of convenience while at the same time adhering to the guidelines. The study was carried out between April and June 2001. The per capita injection rate was 2.4 per year. The ratio of therapeutic to immunization injections was 6.5:1, and the proportion of injections given with a disposable syringe and needle was 35.4%. Knowledge about diseases transmitted by unsafe injections, for example involving human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus, was greater among all the study groups. The annual incidence of needlestick injuries among providers was 23.6, which is extremely high. It is concluded that there are deficiencies in practice such as an excessive, unwarranted usage of injections, a sizeable prevalence of unsafe injection practices, the short supply of injection equipment leading to a high incidence of needlestick injuries, a low proportion of hepatitis B virus immunization among providers, and a lack of adequate sharps containers and disposal facilities in this part of India. It is suggested that immediate and long-term remedial measures, such as the education of prescribers to reduce the number of injections to a bare minimum, an adequate supply of injection equipment, provider protection with immunization for hepatitis B virus, the provision of adequate sharps containers with safe disposal facilities and, not least, community education, be undertaken to avoid the future epidemic of transmissible diseases.     

Injection practices among nurses--Vâlcea, Romania, 1998

In the early 1990s, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection associated with possible reuse of syringes and needles was reported among children in Romanian orphanages. These findings led health-care workers to use new disposable syringes and needles for administering injections. Bythe late 1990s, reports suggested that new disposable syringes and needles had become standard for all injections. However, surveillance data collected by the Romanian Ministry of Health (MoH) during 1997-1998 indicated that acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was associated with receiving injections among children aged <5 years. In Romania, injection frequently is used to administer medication, and nurses administer most injections. To identify the practices that might have resulted in injection-associated HBV transmission, selected clinic and hospital nurses were surveyed. This report summarizes the findings of the survey, which indicated that although nurses used new disposable syringes and needles, other inadequate infection-control practices might explain injection-associated HBV transmission. Results of the survey were used by the Romanian Coalition to Prevent Nosocomial Infections to prepare standards for injection safety to protect patients and health-care workers from HBV infection.     

Prevalence and prevention of needlestick injuries among health care workers in a German university hospital

Objective Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to bloodborne pathogens, especially hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through job-related risk factors like needlestick, stab, scratch, cut, or other bloody injuries. Needlestick injuries can be prevented by safer devices. Methods The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and causes of needlestick injuries in a German university hospital. Data were obtained by an anonymous, self-reporting questionnaire. We calculated the share of reported needlestick injuries, which could have been prevented by using safety devices. Results 31.4% (n = 226) of participant HCWs had sustained at least one needlestick injury in the last 12 months. A wide variation in the number of reported needlestick injuries was evident across disciplines, ranging from 46.9% (n = 91/194) among medical staff in surgery and 18.7% (n = 53/283) among HCWs in pediatrics. Of all occupational groups, physicians have the highest risk to experience needlestick injuries (55.1%—n = 129/234). Evaluating the kind of activity under which the needlestick injury occurred, on average 34% (n = 191/561) of all needlestick injuries could have been avoided by the use of safety devices. Taking all medical disciplines and procedures into consideration, safety devices are available for 35.1% (n = 197/561) of needlestick injuries sustained. However, there was a significant difference across various medical disciplines in the share of needlestick injuries which might have been avoidable: Pediatrics (83.7%), gynecology (83.7%), anesthesia (59.3%), dermatology (33.3%), and surgery (11.9%). In our study, only 13.2% (n = 74/561) of needlestick injuries could have been prevented by organizational measures. Conclusion There is a high rate of needlestick injuries in the daily routine of a hospital. The rate of such injuries depends on the medical discipline. Implementation of safety devices will lead to an improvement in medical staff’s health and safety.     

Occupational exposure to hepatitis infection among Turkish nurses: frequency of needle exposure, sharps injuries and vaccination

The aim of this study was to assess the demographic factors and pattern of injuries sustained by nurses, and to determine the occupational hazard of exposure to hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses among nurses. The study involved 906 hospital-based nurses working in three large hospitals. Between August 2002 and January 2003 a total of 595 practising nurses were accepted for inclusion. The results of questionnaires completed were collated and chi2 and ratios were used for analysis. Of the 595 nurses, 111 (18.7%) had evidence of previous or current HBV infection and 32 (5.4%) of HCV infection. We found that 11.2% of the nurses who had worked for a period of between 0 and 5 years and 37.1% of those who had worked for a period between 16 and 20 years had evidence of HBV or HCV infection. Of the nurses working in surgical clinics, 59.4% had evidence of previous HBV or HCV infection and those working in hospital clinics had an 18.2% infection rate. Of the nurses occupationally exposed to HBV and HCV infections, 22.4% had received sharps injuries from apparatus and 63.6% had suffered needlestick exposure. Findings also showed 2.7% HBsAg positivity and 5.4% anti-HCV positivity. Of the 452 (76%) nurses who faced the occupational hazard of exposure to hepatitis infections, 27.7% (125/452) had not been vaccinated against HBV. Nurses working in our health-care sector are frequently exposed to occupational exposure for HBV and HCV infections. In order to prevent the infection of nurses with hepatitis, we advocate precautions and protection from sharps injuries. A programme of education, vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis must be implemented.     

某大型综合医院医护人员针刺及其他锐器损伤情况

目的 了解医院医护人员针刺及其他锐器损伤情况,为进一步开展干预研究提供线索,并为干预措施效果评价提供基线数据.方法 采用白填式调查问卷对某大型综合医院1201名临床一线医护人员在2009年1月1日至2009年12月31日期间所发生的针刺及其他锐器损伤状况进行回顾性调查.结果 医护人员在过去1年中发生针刺及其他锐器损伤共4302人次,针刺及其他锐器损伤年人均发生次数为3.58人次,损伤发生率为78.85％.发生针刺及其他锐器损伤的高风险人群为妇产科、外科、重症监护室和急诊科医护人员,其接触发生率和年人均发生次数分别为94.67％和4.51人次、93.09％和4.46人次、85.44％和3.08人次、76.62％和4.55人次,引起医护人员针刺及其他锐器损伤的主要医疗操作是掰安瓿、输液结束拔针、整理用毕的锐器和手术中(缝合或切开),其接触发生率分别为46.96％ 、30.97％ 、25.73％和14.49％.医护人员针刺及其他锐器损伤主要是由安瓿瓶、头皮针、皮下注射针、缝合针和手术刀片引起,其损伤发生率分别为47.04％、37.22％、31.31％ 、17.65％和7.08％.结论 医护人员仍然面临较大的针刺及其他锐器损伤风险,不同工种、不同科室医护人员在不同医疗操作及医疗操作的不同阶段、使用不同医疗锐器、使用锐器的用途不同发生职业接触的风险不同,应积极采取有针对性的综合性预防控制措施,全面贯彻落实GBZ/T 213-2008《血源性病原体职业接触防护导则》.     

Impact of introduction of sharps containers and of education programmes on the pattern of needle stick injuries in a tertiary care centre in India

Documentation of needlestick injuries was started in the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore in 1993. In 1995 large sharps containers were introduced, accompanied by an intensive education programme. Details of documented injuries from 1993 to 1999 were analysed using the Epi-Info software. A total of 347 injuries occurred, mainly due to improper disposal of needles, re-capping and carelessness during use. The percentage of injuries attributed to disposal fell from 69.2% in 1995 to 38.5% in 1996 (after the education programme). A further decrease was noted after the additional introduction of small sharps containers. In 1995, 73% of injuries involved housekeeping staff, this fell to 12% in 1998. Relatively simple interventions decreased the numbers of injuries, and we recommend that all healthcare institutions should have a system of documenting needlestick injuries, and take measures to decrease their incidence.     

An examination of needlestick injury rates, hepatitis B vaccination uptake and instruction on 'sharps' technique among medical students.

A 12-question survey designed to examine venepuncture techniques and instruction and uptake of hepatitis B vaccination was completed by 172 of the 275 medical students to whom it was distributed (a response rate of 62.5%). Seventy-five injuries were reported, at an average of 0.3 per student per year. Of the respondents, 63% resheathed needles after use, a practice frequently cited as a cause of needlestick injury. However, in this sample resheathing was not significantly associated with a higher or lower injury rate (chi 2 = 2.07, P > 0.1). Of the respondents from the most recent intake, only 20 out of 57 had completed a course of hepatitis B vaccinations prior to the commencement of venepuncture duties. There was almost universal ignorance concerning the correct course of action following 'sharps' injury. Recommendations are made concerning hepatitis B vaccination and teaching strategies for medical students.     

Epidemiological characteristics of occupational blood exposures of healthcare workers in a university hospital in South Korea for 10 years

This study investigated the epidemiological characteristics of occupational blood exposures (OBEs) of healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Korea, and examined trends of OBEs after implementing blood exposure prevention (BEP) programmes. The study was conducted between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2001 at a university-affiliated acute care hospital in Seoul. The BEP programmes comprised in-service education, hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, and postexposure evaluation and prophylaxis. From 959 reported cases of OBEs, the crude incidence density (ID) was 2.62 cases per 100 person-years. The major risk groups for OBEs were physicians (ID 4.34) and new employees. The major type of OBE was from sharps injuries, including needlesticks (94.0%). OBE cases occurred more frequently during the spring (36.4%). The frequency of the serological tests of anti-hepatitis B surface antigen of HCWs changed significantly each year (P<0.05). The major serological risk for source patients was HBV (52.1%), but the risks for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increased significantly each year (P<0.05). There were no seroconversion cases following OBEs among the tested HCWs. In summary, we established the epidemiological characteristics of OBEs in a South Korean university hospital, and reduced the risk of OBEs of major risk groups by BEP programmes. We also found an increase in the risk of HCV and HIV during the study period, suggesting that OBEs could be a serious threat to HCWs.