917 Needle Accident Cases Reported at Chiba Hospitals

[Guest guest]

CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update

Wednesday, August 08, 2001

" 917 Needle Accident Cases Reported at Chiba Hospitals "

Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo) (08.07.01)

A Chiba University survey released Tuesday reported more

than 900 incidents in which doctors and nurses were pricked with

hypodermic needles or scalpels bearing patients' blood in 87

hospitals in Chiba prefecture. According to the survey, 658

nurses and 162 doctors accidentally pricked themselves. Five of

the patients being treated had HIV; 68 had hepatitis B; and 275

had hepatitis C. The researchers estimated there was a 35 percent

chance that a staff member pricked by a needle from a hepatitis

patient would contract the disease; the chances of contracting

hepatitis C or HIV were 3 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

A researcher estimated that the accidents may have caused 20 to

30 cases of hepatitis B and 10 cases of hepatitis C among medical

workers.

[Guest guest]

CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update

Wednesday, August 08, 2001

" 917 Needle Accident Cases Reported at Chiba Hospitals "

Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo) (08.07.01)

A Chiba University survey released Tuesday reported more

than 900 incidents in which doctors and nurses were pricked with

hypodermic needles or scalpels bearing patients' blood in 87

hospitals in Chiba prefecture. According to the survey, 658

nurses and 162 doctors accidentally pricked themselves. Five of

the patients being treated had HIV; 68 had hepatitis B; and 275

had hepatitis C. The researchers estimated there was a 35 percent

chance that a staff member pricked by a needle from a hepatitis

patient would contract the disease; the chances of contracting

hepatitis C or HIV were 3 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

A researcher estimated that the accidents may have caused 20 to

30 cases of hepatitis B and 10 cases of hepatitis C among medical

workers.