CJD, TB and chicken pox in the mortuary – are staff at risk?

Abstract

Over the last two decades the safety standards for staff performing autopsies has significantly increased. New manual handling guidelines, building improvements and documented accreditation standards has ensured, in many jurisdictions, appropriate protocols and equipment are available to minimise the risk of staff contracting a disease or developing an injury. However, there is still some reluctance amongst mortuary staff to follow guidelines and wear personal protective equipment such as face masks. This often stems from a belief that many staff have worked in the mortuary for many years and the documented incidence of the transmission of known infectious diseases in mortuary workers across the world is very low.