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Canada Communicable Disease Report

[Table of Contents]

 

 

Volume: 23S2 • March 1997

AN INTEGRATED PROTOCOL TO MANAGE HEALTH CARE WORKERS EXPOSED TO BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Recommendations for an Integrated Protocol

6. Post-Exposure Counselling Recommendations for the HCW (Table 5)

If the HCW is exposed to a bloodborne pathogen, the HCW should not donate blood, semen, organs or tissues for 6 months, and should not share razors or toothbrushes. The HCW should be followed medically.

Table 5
Post-exposure counselling recommendations for the HCW
with a potential risk for bloodborne pathogens
Bloodborne
Pathogens		 COUNSELLING RECOMMENDATIONS
HBV
  • No further precautions are necessary if the HCW is immune + to HBV.

  • No clear guidance can be given on issues related to safer sex practices and notifying sexual partner(s) for HCWs who are receiving HBIG and/or the HB vaccine series.
HCV
  • The HCW exposed to HCV should advise their sexual partner(s) of the potential risk (9) , although the risk of sexual transmission appears to be lower than that of HIV or HBV. The HCW should be provided with information on safer sex practices (15) .

  • Current data indicate that transmission from mother to infant is rare. Specific recommendations for or against pregnancy and breast feeding cannot be made (9) .
HIV
  • The HCW should practice safer sex (15) for a 6-month period and notify sexual partner(s) of the potential exposure to HIV.

  • Pregnancy should be avoided for 6 months (8) .

  • Breast feeding should be stopped, unless an HIV antibody test in a known low risk source is expected to be available in the next few days. In this case, breast milk can be temporarily expressed or pumped and breast feeding resumed if the result is negative.
+ See Section 7.

 

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