? What should I do if I have a high risk exposure incident?
May 2003
Immediate action can reduce the risk of transmission:
- if eyes or mouth are exposed wash in running water
- skin punctures should be encouraged to bleed gently and the area washed with soap
- if broken skin has been in contact with body fluids wash thoroughly
Link The incident should be reported to the occupational health department (or accident and emergency personnel if the department is closed), where a baseline serum can be collected.
PHLS guidelines recommend testing of all source patients for evidence of HCV infection. The investigation and follow-up of health care workers that have been occupationally exposed to hepatitis C is shown in Table 2.
Table 2 – The investigation and follow-up of health care workers exposed to hepatitis C
| Known hepatitis C infected source | Source known not to be infected with hepatitis C | Hepatitis C status of source unknown |
| - collect baseline serum for storage from health care worker - collect serum/ EDTA for HCV RNA testing at 6 and 12 weeks - collect serum for anti-HCV testing at 12 and 24 weeks |
- collect baseline serum for storage from health care worker - collect follow up serum if symptoms or signs of liver disease develop |
- collect baseline serum for storage from health care worker
|
Occupational Health departments should be able to advise on any additional precautions/ restrictions to practice that may be required whilst a health care worker is undergoing tests as above.
Anyone who becomes HCV RNA positive should have an early referral to a specialist with expertise in liver disease, as there is now some evidence that early treatment of acute hepatitis C may prevent chronic infection.
Link