Study of the knowledge, attitude of Egyptian health care workers towards occupational HIV infection.

Acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was reported for the first time in Egypt in 1986. Up to March 1993, 60 cases were notified to the Ministry of Health and 359 were detected to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Most cases had acquired infection abroad through blood, blood products or sexual contact. The number of cases is continuously increasing. Fear and ignorance about HIV infection causes panic among health care workers (HCWs) whenever a case is discovered and needs medical care. We assessed the knowledge and attitude of 346 HCWs towards the probability of occupational HIV infection using a self administered questionnaire. The sample included physicians, surgeons, nurses, laboratory technicians and ambulance workers. 72.8% of HCWs believed that they are in "great" danger of acquiring AIDS through occupational exposure, whereas 0.6% thought that there was no danger. 67% of HCWs had wrong ideas about transmission of HIV (toilet seats, droplet infection, touching patients). 83.5% mentioned that AIDS patients should be isolated in quarantine. The main source of information about AIDS was the television, radio and ordinary press. 44.8% got their information from textbooks or scientific literature. 95.4% felt the need for more information about infection and disease. The results show an urgent need to start a program of education of HCWs concerning the risk of occupational HIV infection and the measures of its prevention.