Nurses: at special risk

Nurses are at occupational risk for many infections, but it was not until human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was recognized that a work-acquired infection was uniformly fatal. Other work-acquired infections, including tuberculosis, rubella, measles, varicella, and the viral hepatitides, may cause morbidity for the nurse and his/her family. Although the number of nurses who acquire occupational infections is small, each has a unique personal story, and all will have their productivity affected. A few will lose their lives to infections acquired on the job. Although all occupational infections cannot be prevented, understanding the chain of infection and how to break the links can go a long way in reducing risks and maintaining health for all health care workers.