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Prevention of Occupational Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in Surgeons in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
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Saltzman et al1 state that following advances in antiretroviral therapy, AIDS-related surgical emergencies became rare. However, these advances also resulted in increased survival, which means that other non–AIDS-related elective or emergency surgery may be needed for infected patients.
In our database, which contains reports on a total of 2286 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exposures since 1994, 26% were reported in surgery as occurring in the operating room (n = 324), as well as in other surgical settings (n = 266), both percutaneous (n = 293) and mucocutaneous (n = 297), and resulting in 186 courses of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). No decrease over time was observed (Studio Italiano Rischio Occupazionale da HIV, unpublished data, 1994-2004).
We therefore agree with the authors that caution should not be lessened and all measures intended to prevent occupational risk should be adopted, including hepatitis B vaccination and safer procedures and devices such as hands-free techniques and blunt-tipped suture needles. Moreover, should an exposure . . . [Full Text of this Article]
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Vincenzo Puro, MD;
Gabriella De Carli, MD for the Italian Registry of Antiretroviral Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and the Studio Italiano Rischio Occupazionale da HIV
RELATED ARTICLE
The Surgeon and AIDS: Twenty Years Later
Darin J. Saltzman, Russell A. Williams, Dmitri V. Gelfand, and Samuel E. Wilson
Arch Surg. 2005;140(10):961-967.
ABSTRACT
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