Bloodborne pathogen exposure and recommendations for management.

Abstract

Bloodborne pathogens pose a continuing threat to healthcare workers. The frequency of needlesticks and wounds from other sharps has been reduced by the use of safety devices in many healthcare workplaces but it has not been eliminated. The need for appropriate management of a needlestick or other exposure that could carry a bloodborne pathogen has become increasingly clear as more is learned about the factors affecting transmission of these infectious agents. With better diagnostic tools and more therapeutic agents the success rate of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) will continue to improve. This article will focus on those agents as they pose the greatest known threats and offer the potential for intervention.