Abstract
The magnitude of risk for occupational exposures to biohazardous agents found in blood was assessed by 800 environmental samples taken from a total of 10 clinical and research laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Thirty-one samples from 11 work stations in three laboratories contained hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Observations of workers indicated that environmental contamination arose from several sources. Among the 11 work stations with HBsAg environmental samples, eight had high work loads, seven had inappropriate behaviors, and nine had flawed laboratory techniques. This information suggests that a multifactorial approach is needed to minimize the risk of laboratory-associated infections.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Anderson R. A., Woodfield D. G. Hepatitis B virus infections in laboratory staff. N Z Med J. 1982 Feb 10;95(701):69–71. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dienstag J. L., Ryan D. M. Occupational exposure to hepatitis B virus in hospital personnel: infection or immunization? Am J Epidemiol. 1982 Jan;115(1):26–39. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113277. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Favero M. S., Bond W. W., Petersen N. J., Berquist K. R., Maynard J. E. Detection methods for study of the stability of hepatitis B antigen on surfaces. J Infect Dis. 1974 Feb;129(2):210–212. doi: 10.1093/infdis/129.2.210. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Favero M. S., Maynard J. E., Petersen N. J., Boyer K. M., Bond W. W., Berquist K. R., Szmuness W. Letter: Hepatitis-B antigen on environmental surfaces. Lancet. 1973 Dec 22;2(7843):1455–1455. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(73)92860-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Follett E. A., Sleigh J. D. Hepatitis B as a hazard to laboratory staff: a re-appraisal. J Clin Pathol. 1980 Nov;33(11):1017–1020. doi: 10.1136/jcp.33.11.1017. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Handsfield H. H., Cummings M. J., Swenson P. D. Prevalence of antibody to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B surface antigen in blood samples submitted to a hospital laboratory. Implications for handling specimens. JAMA. 1987 Dec 18;258(23):3395–3397. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Henderson D. K., Saah A. J., Zak B. J., Kaslow R. A., Lane H. C., Folks T., Blackwelder W. C., Schmitt J., LaCamera D. J., Masur H. Risk of nosocomial infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus in a large cohort of intensively exposed health care workers. Ann Intern Med. 1986 May;104(5):644–647. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-104-5-644. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jacobson J. T., Orlob R. B., Clayton J. L. Infections acquired in clinical laboratories in Utah. J Clin Microbiol. 1985 Apr;21(4):486–489. doi: 10.1128/jcm.21.4.486-489.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lauer J. L., VanDrunen N. A., Washburn J. W., Balfour H. H., Jr Transmission of hepatitis B virus in clinical laboratory areas. J Infect Dis. 1979 Oct;140(4):513–516. doi: 10.1093/infdis/140.4.513. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Newsom S. W., Matthews J. A microbiological survey of automated biochemical machines. J Clin Pathol. 1980 Jun;33(6):566–570. doi: 10.1136/jcp.33.6.566. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Skinhøj P., Søeby M. Viral hepatitis in Danish health care personnel, 1974-78. J Clin Pathol. 1981 Apr;34(4):408–411. doi: 10.1136/jcp.34.4.408. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sutnick A. I., London W. T., Millman I., Gerstley B. J., Blumberg B. S. Ergasteric hepatitis: endemic hepatitis associated with Australia antigen in a research laboratory. Ann Intern Med. 1971 Jul;75(1):35–40. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-75-1-35. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]