Profile of Needle Stick Injury and Mucocutaneous Exposure to Body Fluids among Healthcare Workers – A Single Tertiary Care Hospital Experience

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of occupation-related infections through infected needle stick injury (NSI) or mucocutaneous exposure to infected blood and body fluids. Over 90% of these occur in resource-constrained countries, such as India, resulting in significant health consequences for healthcare delivery. Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is crucial in reducing the risk of occupationally acquired blood-borne viruses. This study aims to provide an understanding of occupation-related infections of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and utilization of postexposure measures. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Bengaluru, India, between September 2018 and March 2020. One hundred and fifty five healthcare workers, who had suffered occupational NSI or mucocutaneous exposure, were interviewed with a questionnaire. Results: Majority of the HCWs studied were young (27.39 ± 2.14 years) females ( n = 116, 74.8%). Among those HCWs who reported the exposure, nurses ( n = 79; 51%) with an average work experience of 2.03 ± 1.03 years constituted the highest proportion. Exposures were reported more frequently after an average of more than 7 hours of work (7.71 ± 3.14), especially during the night shift ( n = 73; 47.1%). NSIs constituted most exposures ( n = 126; 81.3%), of which most occurred during blood sampling ( n = 58; 37.4%). After an exposure incident, 60% ( n = 93) of the HCWs washed their hands with soap and water. Ninety-three HCWs (60%) took a single dose of PEP. None of them had positive serologies for HBV, HCV, and HIV at baseline or on follow-up. Conclusions: Our findings show that the majority of exposures occurred among young female nurses. Immediate measures, such as washing with soap and water, are essential. Regular training on preventive precautions, particularly for young nurses, is recommended.