[Accidental contact with syringes used by intravenous drug users (IDU): a decade of study]

The increase in drug addiction, AIDS, hepatitis C and B transmission is a problem the society faces with growing frequency, mainly due to syringes and other material used by seropositive patients being left in public place, with children being one of the groups being at greatest risk. We present our experience in accidents with syringes used by intravenous drug users (IDU) in patients less than 16 years of age during the last 11 years.

All patients attending our emergency department with diagnosis of contact with syringes used by IDU were prospectively studied. All patients were treated according to the follow-up protocol of accidental contact with syringes used by IDU.

We studied 183 patients between 0 and 16 years of age, with a male gender predominance, the average age at presentation was 6.7 years. The majority of cases occurred during the months of April through August. One hundred twenty-eight cases completed the control after 1 year. At the one year control after the accident, 99% of the patients were anti-HBs antibody positive. Other markers positive for HBV were found in 15% of the cases. Markers for HCV were found in only 9 of 84 patients studied. Only one patient that did not receive either the gamma globulin nor the vaccine developed hepatitis B infection. No patient showed HIV conversion during the time of the study.

The risk of HIV and HCV after accidental puncture with syringes used by IDU is nearly none. Hepatitis B virus infection is the major risk. HBV transmission in the workplace can be largely eliminated due to the increased use of hepatitis B vaccine.