Transmission and control of bloodborne viral hepatitis in health care workers.

Although the incidence of clinical HBV has declined as a result of infection control measures and vaccine-induced immunity, the prevalence of patients who are HBsAg-positive has increased. HCWs who are exposed to the blood and body fluids of patients should be required to receive hepatitis B vaccine. However, there is no vaccine against HCV, the most prevalent bloodborne pathogen in the health care setting. It therefore is critical for health care workers to encourage the development and assessment of effective preventive and control strategies, including the design and use of safe devices, targeted interventions based on occupation-specific hazards, and surveillance and analysis of exposures in the health care setting.