Risk Factors of Needlestick Injuries
Needlestick injuries are a cause of concern for the health community; it can affect the community of self-injectors too many of whom are illicit drug users.
Millions of people are being affected by needlestick injury across the globe each year. Among the plethora of health care workers surgeons, physicians and nurses seem to be at a higher risk for needlestick injuries. Clinical researchers too are at a risk for these injuries. The majority of these cases go unreported due to fear of consequences.
Needlestick injuries occur not just from freshly contaminated needles or sharp objects but from needles containing dry blood too. The potency of HIV and HCV decreases within a couple of hours of being outside the body but the HBV remains potent for more than a week. It has been estimated that there are 66,000 HBV, 16,000 HCV, and 1,000 HIV infections due to needlestick injuries worldwide annually.
