Recommendations for PostExposure Prophylaxisto Hepatitis B Virus

More than 30 different pathogens have caused documented occupational infection following exposure to blood or body fluids in healthcare workers (HCWs) or hospital laboratory personnel. The most important of these are hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).The risk of developing clinical hepatitis after exposure ranges 1% to 6% (source patient HBsAg-positive, HBeAg-negative) to 22%--31% (source patient HBsAg-positive, HBeAg-positive). The average incidence of anti-HCV seroconversion after accidental percutaneous exposure from an HCV-positive source is 1.8% (range, 0 to 7 percent). The recommendations for management of blood borne exposure to HBV are summarized below.