Human immunodeficiency virus postexposure prophylaxis for occupational exposure in a medical school hospital in Thailand

This is a retrospective review of occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and subsequent postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH), Bangkok, Thailand. From January 2002 to December 2004, data were collected from incident reports, the hospital's infectious diseases unit and the emergency department. There were 315 reported episodes of occupational exposure among 306 HCWs. Nurses (34.0%) were the HCWs most frequently exposed and percutaneous injury (91.4%) was the most common type of exposure. One-third of the source patients tested were infected with HIV. PEP was initiated following 200 (63.5%) of the 315 exposures and was started within 24h in >95% of cases. The most commonly prescribed PEP regimen was zidovudine, lamivudine and nelfinavir. Fifty-six percent of HCWs given PEP completed a four-week course but the remainder discontinued PEP prematurely due to side-effects, or after negative results from the source, or following informed risk reassessment or from their own accord. No exposed HCW acquired HIV during the study period. Appropriate counselling and careful risk assessment are important in achieving effective HIV PEP among HCWs.     

Assessment of adverse events associated with antiretroviral regimens for postexposure prophylaxis for occupational and nonoccupational exposures to prevent transmission of human immunodeficiency virus.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adverse events associated with antiretroviral regimens for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), with a particular focus on the treatment combination of zidovudine, lamivudine, and tenofovir (ZDV-3TC-TDF). METHODS: Retrospective chart review for individuals who received HIV PEP for occupational and nonoccupational exposure, and multivariate analyses to identify risk factors for noncompletion of PEP and adverse events associated with PEP. SETTING: University of Rochester Health Service Occupational Health Program and University of Rochester AIDS Center. PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare workers who received HIV PEP for occupational exposure from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2004, and individuals who received HIV PEP for nonoccupational exposure from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2004.Results. We found increased rates of nausea among subjects who received treatment with ZDV-3TC-TDF and subjects who received treatment with zidovudine, lamivudine, and indinavir (ZDV-3TC-IDV). Analyses showed that female sex was a risk factor for nausea. Compared with subjects who received treatment with ZDV-3TC-TDF, subjects who received treatment with ZDV-3TC-IDV were less likely to not complete the HIV PEP for occupational exposure. CONCLUSION: Preventive treatment of adverse events may be necessary to ensure completion of HIV PEP.     

Seroconversion following incomplete human rabies postexposure prophylaxis

In August 2008, CDC and the Puerto Rico Department of Health conducted a serosurvey of patients who had discontinued rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) prior to completing a schedule of five vaccine doses. The objective was to determine whether further vaccination of these patients was needed based on serum rabies neutralizing antibody levels. Eighteen patients consented to serology using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. The World Health Organization's cutoff value of 0.5 IU/mL was used as the basis for recommending PEP continuance, while complete virus neutralization at the 1:5 dilution indicated seroconversion per current Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommendations. Serum samples were collected a median of 147 days (range 24–215) after receipt of the last vaccine dose. Ten patients were recommended for PEP continuance for titers below 0.5 IU/mL; however, of 11 patients, 33% of 2-dose, 100% of 3-dose, and 100% of 4-dose patients exhibited seroconversion. These findings corroborate previous studies that suggest a less than five-dose rabies vaccine regimen elicits adequate immunogenicity against rabies.     

Rabies postexposure prophylaxis survey--Kentucky, 1994.

A survey of rabies postexposure prophylaxis administered by local health departments for a 1-year period showed that very few patients received treatment as a result of exposure to a confirmed rabid animal. Most prophylaxis was administered for contact with domestic animals in situations where existing recommendations for quarantine or laboratory testing of the animal were not followed. Because rabies in domestic animals in Kentucky is uncommon, these findings suggest that had the existing recommendations been followed, the prophylaxis would have been unnecessary in most cases.     

Transmission of drug-resistant HIV after an occupational exposure despite postexposure prophylaxis with a combination drug regimen.

We documented a case of occupational human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) despite postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a combination drug regimen after percutaneous injury with a needle from a sharps disposal container in the hospital room of an HIV-infected patient. This failure of PEP with a combination drug regimen may have been related to antiretroviral drug resistance, other factors, or both. This case highlights the importance of preventing injury to prevent occupational transmission of HIV.     

One-year longitudinal study of young apprentices exposed to airway occupational sensitizers

Background: The prevalence of diagnosed asthma and wheezing in young subjects is increasing; among environmental risk factors, occupational exposure can play a relevant role. Study objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to a large variety of irritants and/or sensitizers on the incidence of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function impairment in a group of young apprentices during the first year of work exposure, and to determine the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and the role of different risk factors (gender, smoking habit, atopy and occupational exposure) in this young population. Design and methods: We studied 448 young apprentices at the first pre-employment evaluation with a standardized questionnaire, spirometry and skin prick tests; in 244 of them clinical and functional evaluation was repeated after 1 year exposure to respiratory irritants or sensitizers. Results: At the first examination, males had higher prevalence of attacks of shortness of breath with wheeze, diagnosis of asthma, smoking habit and atopy than females. At the second examination there was no significant increase in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms. However, incident cases for cough, phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath with wheeze (SOBWHZ) and asthma were all higher than remittent cases. Incidence of respiratory symptoms was associated with atopy and smoking habit. Conclusions: Respiratory symptoms slightly increase over 1 year occupational exposure to sensitizers or irritants. The loss at the follow-up of subjects with higher smoking habit suggests a small “health worker effect” and could underestimate the effect of occupational exposure in apprentices.     

HIV postexposure prophylaxis in the 21st century

The administration of postexposure prophylaxis has become the standard of care for occupational exposures to HIV. We have learned a great deal about the safety and potential efficacy of these agents, as well as the optimal management of health-care workers occupationally exposed to HIV. This article describes the current state of knowledge in this field, identifies substantive questions to be answered, and summarizes basic principles of postexposure management.     

A decision-analytic approach to postexposure rabies prophylaxis.

The risks and benefits of postexposure rabies prophylaxis were analyzed from clinical and economic perspectives. A decision-analytic model was constructed by using probability and outcome data from the literature and the state health department. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years. In the base case (overweight adult male), treatment is optimal when the probability of animal rabidity is greater than 1 in 2000. Sensitivity analysis showed robustness in the treatment decision; however, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio ($140,000/quality-adjusted life year) is sensitive to the rabidity probability. Treatment is optimal from the patient's perspective; however, it may not be cost-effective when the probability of rabidity is low.     

Successful postexposure rabies prophylaxis after erroneous starting treatment.

BACKGROUND: Postexposure prophylaxis, adequately applied after exposure to a rabid animal, is highly effective in prevention of human disease. Deviations from the recommended vaccination postexposure treatment protocol have been associated with vaccination failure and human mortality. We investigated an incident in which seven Israel Defense Forces soldiers were bitten by a rabid fox and initially treated not in accordance with the recommended vaccination protocol. METHODS: The soldiers received modified anti-rabies postexposure prophylaxis, including a higher dosage of both the active and the passive vaccines. The humoral antibody response was monitored subsequently. RESULTS: All soldiers showed a satisfactory increase (above 0.5 UE/ml by ELISA) in serum anti-rabies antibody titers. None developed the disease more than a year after follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Strict adherence to the treatment guidelines following an injury by a rabid animal is of utmost importance. We suggest possible compensatory management after a potentially lethal deviation from protocol.     

Screening for human immunodeficiency virus

Screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies as a means of preventing both the progress and spread of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is problematic in terms of efficacy, effectiveness, and ethics. The few desired effects are mostly offset by greater and more certain undesirable effects on individuals and society.     

Experience of healthcare workers taking postexposure prophylaxis after occupational HIV exposures: findings of the HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To collect information about the safety of taking antiretroviral drugs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). DESIGN: A voluntary, confidential registry. SETTING: Hospital occupational health clinics, emergency departments, private physician offices, and health departments in the United States. RESULTS: 492 healthcare workers (HCWs) who had occupational exposures to HIV, were prescribed HIV PEP, and agreed to be enrolled in the registry by their healthcare providers were prospectively enrolled in the registry. Three hundred eight (63%) of 492 of the PEP regimens prescribed for these HCWs consisted of at least three antiretroviral agents. Of the 449 HCWs for whom 6-week follow-up was available, 195 (43%) completed the PEP regimen as initially prescribed. Forty-four percent (n=197) of HCWs discontinued all PEP drugs and did not complete a PEP regimen. Thirteen percent (n=57) discontinued > or =1 drug or modified drug dosage or added a drug but did complete a course of PEP Among the 254 HCWs who modified or discontinued the PEP regimen, the two most common reasons for doing so were because of adverse effects attributed to PEP (54%) and because the source-patient turned out to be HIV-negative (38%). Overall, 340 (76%) HCWs with 6-week follow-up reported some symptoms while on PEP: nausea (57%), fatigue or malaise (38%), headache (18%), vomiting (16%), diarrhea (14%), and myalgias or arthralgias (6%). The median time from start of PEP to onset of each of the five most frequently reported symptoms was 3 to 4 days. Only 37 (8%) HCWs with 6-week follow-up were reported to have laboratory abnormalities; review of the reported abnormalities revealed that most were unremarkable. Serious adverse events were reported to the registry for 6 HCWs; all but one event resolved by the 6-month follow-up visit. Fewer side effects were reported by HCWs taking two-drug PEP regimens than by HCWs taking three-drug PEP regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Side effects from HIV PEP were very common but were rarely severe or serious. The nature and frequency of HIV PEP toxicity were consistent with information already available on the use of these antiretroviral agents. Clinicians prescribing HIV PEP need to counsel HCWs about PEP side effects and should know how to manage PEP toxicity when it arises.