A.i.d.s. No Great Risk’ To Health Staff (Press, 17 May 1989)

A national conference on A.L.D.S. held in Wellington on 17 May 1989 highlighted that health care workers face a minimal risk of contracting H.I.V. from patients. Dr Deborah Marriott from St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney reported that fewer than one in 200 health workers exposed to the A.L.D.S. virus developed H.I.V. antibodies. She dismissed recent claims by Dr Lorraine Day, an orthopaedic surgeon, regarding the high contagiousness of H.I.V. and the grave risks to health workers as exaggerated. Dr Marriott emphasised that the views expressed by Dr Day did not align with microbiological facts. The conference aimed to present a draft policy document titled "The H.I.V.-A.I.D.S. Epidemic: Towards a New Zealand Strategy," developed by the National Council on A.L.D.S. Dr Marriott pointed out that only one relevant study on H.I.V. infection among health workers had been published, which described 22 cases. Of those, 19 involved health professionals who were aware they were dealing with H.I.V.-infected material, indicating that universal H.I.V. testing for all patients would be ineffective in preventing accidents. From the 22 reported infections, 14 resulted from penetrating injuries such as cuts from scalpels or needle sticks, while four infections occurred from contact with H.I.V.-contaminated body fluids and broken skin. In the United States, a reporting group noted 1,201 instances of health workers' exposure to H.I.V. since its establishment in August 1983, with only four (0.45 per cent) developing H.I.V. antibodies. Among those exposed, the majority were nurses (62.5 per cent), followed by physicians and medical students (13.7 per cent), laboratory workers (11.2 per cent), blood collectors (7.5 per cent), respiratory therapists (3 per cent), and housekeeping staff (2.1 per cent). Dr Marriott remarked on the irony that those most exposed—nurses—were often the quietest on the issue. She also asserted that common practices like the resheathing of needles should be banned in hospitals to reduce risks. The overall message reinforced the crucial need for health care professionals to strictly adhere to infection control protocols to safeguard themselves and their patients.

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