The occupational risk to dental anesthesiologists of acquiring 3 bloodborne pathogens

To estimate the occupational risk to dental anesthesiologists of contracting 3 bloodborne pathogens: hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Through an anonymously returned, mailed questionnaire, dental anesthesiologists in Canada and the United States provided information regarding percutaneous and mucocutaneous contacts with contaminated fluid during the treatment of patients under deep sedation and general anesthesia as well as other general practice information. A mathematical model was applied to determine the occupational risk.

Of the 101 (65%) returned questionnaires, 98 reported having treated patients within the previous 6 months. Of these, 41 (42%) had at least one percutaneous accident (89 accidents in total), and the projected mean annual injury rate for dental anesthesiologists overall was 1.82. The most common causes of injury were burs, intraoral needles, and dental instruments. Operator error during use was associated with 31% of reported accidents. Significantly more injuries were reported by those who also reported a mucocutaneous contact and by those working more than 25 hours per week. The projected mean annual number of mucocutaneous exposures was 0.88 for dental anesthesiologists overall.

The calculated annual risk to the average dental anesthesiologist of acquiring HBV (if not immune), HCV, and HIV following percutaneous injury was very low for all infections (HBV the most; HIV the least). The risk of contracting HIV following mucocutaneous contact was extremely low.