Occupational Infection Research Articles

Roles of Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Laboratory, Anesthesia, Urology, Public Health, and Occupational Health, Infection Control, and Hospital Management, in the Integration of Telehealth in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Review

Different sectors have contributed to successfully integrating telehealth services into the Saudi healthcare system during the emergent need for high-quality health services. Hence, this review attempts to assess different sectors and their professionals for their contribution toward the implementation and sustainability of telehealth services, including pharmacy, medicine, nursing, laboratory services, anesthesia, urology, public health, occupational health, infection control, and hospital management. Each sector offers a unique contribution to the emergence and continuity of telehealth services, and physicians have implemented telehealth for diagnosis while maintaining chronic patients at home with distant control. Pharmacists have started providing medication support through telehealth, and physicians have extended their use by treating chronic patients through teleconsulting. Hospital nurses have improved their professional access by providing virtual education and consulting to treat chronic patients. Laboratory services enable fast and accurate diagnosis, and anesthesiologists have begun to use it for preoperative and postoperative assessments. Urologists have integrated telehealth into the management of chronic patients. Public health professionals provide telehealth services for health promotion, disease prevention, and management. Occupational health practitioners provided remote ergonomic consultation. Infection prevention and control teams delivered training sessions and telehealth surveillance of hygiene-related practices. In addition, initiatives to plan and create a system for telehealth implementation are a significant contribution to hospital management. The incorporation of telehealth across professional silos has increased the quality-of-care delivery, enhanced patient empowerment, and built system resilience in Saudi Arabia. This multidisciplinary collaboration thus underscores how furthering telehealth services can only be realized through cooperation to ensure equitable access and advance healthcare modernization under any national initiative.

A nationwide cohort study on pneumonia infections among agriculture and healthcare workers in Taiwan.

Bacterial infection risk in work environments has been extensively reported for healthcare workers, while this risk is rarely researched in other occupations. This study aimed to identify occupational environments in Taiwan's agricultural and healthcare industries with elevated bacterial infection risks by comparing risks for general bacterial infections and pneumonia. Using labour and health insurance claim data from 3.3 million workers (January 2004-December 2020), a retrospective cohort was constructed to estimate occupational infection risks with Cox regression and the Anderson-Gill extension. Significantly elevated hazard ratios were found for workers in vegetable growing, crop cultivation service, mushroom growing, flower growing, and fruit growing, ranging from 1.13 to 1.39 for general bacterial infections and 1.68 to 3.06 for pneumonia infections. In afforestation and the inland fishing industry, pneumonia risk was significantly elevated with, respectively, 1.87 and 1.21. In the healthcare section, especially workers in residential care services and residential care services for elderly stand out regarding their pneumonia risk, with significant hazard ratios of 3.49 and 1.75. The methods used in this study were proven to be effective in identification of occupation environments at risk and can be used in other settings. These findings call for prioritization of bacterial infection prevention by occupation.

ASSESSMENT OF NURSES' KNOWLEDGE REGARDING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL LAHORE

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is crucial for protecting healthcare workers from occupational hazards and infections, particularly in high-risk environments such as hospitals. Adequate knowledge and proper use of PPE are essential to ensure the safety of both healthcare workers and patients. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses regarding PPE at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was utilized. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 152 nurses working in various departments of the hospital. Purposive sampling was employed, and the sample size was determined using RaoSoft with a 95% confidence interval and a 0.5% margin of error. The questionnaire comprised sections on demographic information, knowledge assessment, and attitudes and practices evaluation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to identify associations between demographic characteristics and knowledge levels. Results: Of the 152 participants, 77% were female, with a mean age of 36.5 years (SD ± 9.05 years). Most participants held a diploma in nursing (46%), and the majority (93.4%) had less than 12 years of professional experience. The findings revealed that 67% of nurses demonstrated good knowledge of PPE, 20% had average knowledge, and 13% exhibited poor knowledge. While 92% of participants reported being knowledgeable about PPE usage, inconsistencies were noted in the adherence to specific practices, such as glove and mask usage. Additionally, only 34% of participants believed that consistent use of PPE would reduce their risk of infection, indicating a potential gap between perceived and actual knowledge. Conclusion: The study highlights both strengths and gaps in nurses' knowledge and practices regarding PPE at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. While most nurses demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of PPE, inconsistencies in practical application underscore the need for targeted training and reinforcement of guidelines. Regular training sessions, active monitoring, and continuous professional development are essential to enhance adherence to PPE protocols and safeguard healthcare workers in resource-limited settings like Pakistan.

Assessing the Psychological Well-being of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, working in any medical organization is associated with the risk of coronavirus infection. This applies first and foremost to specialized medical organizations dealing with the treatment of patients infected with coronavirus. Medical workers experiencing increased psychological stress are at an increased risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus while providing medical care. Therefore, studying the psychological states of medical workers – doctors, nurses, orderlies - is of particular importance and relevance. Our research goal is to investigate the psychological responses of medical professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The research focused on the Aktobe Medical Center (AMC), which hosts the regional pulmonology center for COVID-19 patients and the Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital (RCIDH). The study is a selective, single-stage cross-sectional analysis. To assess the psychological reactions of medical workers, standardized questionnaires are used, including the PSM-25, GAD-7, and MFI-20. Statistical analysis of the data is conducted using the STATISTICA 10.0 software package from StatSoft, Inc., USA. An analysis of the research results indicates that medical personnel, nurses, and administrative staff in medical organizations associated with the risk of coronavirus infection are susceptible to adverse psychophysiological disorders. The study revealed that stress levels, anxiety, and asthenia in doctors and nursing staff are significantly higher compared to those in nurses and administrative personnel. Medical workers at risk of COVID- 19 clearly require support measures, as the potential for occupational infection has been definitively established. Additionally, the psychological risk is largely influenced by the nature of their work and their direct contact with the population and patients infected with the coronavirus. Senior and mid-level medical workers at the forefront of combating coronavirus infection is at a high risk of experiencing psycho-emotional and psychophysiological health issues. Doctors and nurses have been found to exhibit high levels of physical and mental asthenia, anxiety, and moderate-to-high levels of stress. Evaluating potential risk factors for psychophysiological disorders among healthcare workers not only provides an objective assessment of their health status, but also aids in the effective and rational organization of their work.

Trends in occupational respiratory conditions with short latency in the UK.

Occupational short-latency respiratory disease (SLRD; predominantly asthma, rhinitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and occupational infections) prevalence is difficult to determine but certain occupations may be associated with increased susceptibility. This study aimed to examine which occupations and industries are currently at high risk for SLRD and determine their respective suspected causal agents. SLRD cases reported to the SWORD scheme between 1999 and 2019 were analysed to determine directly standardized rate ratios (SRR) by occupation against the average rate for all other occupations combined. 'Bakers and flour confectioners' and 'vehicle spray painters' showed significantly raised SRR for SLRD in general, mostly due to occupational rhinitis (234.4; 95% CI 200.5-274.0) and asthma (63.5; 95% CI 51.5-78.3), respectively. Laboratory technicians also showed significantly raised SRR for occupational rhinitis (18.7; 95% CI 15.1-23.1), primarily caused by laboratory animals and insects. Metal machining setters and setter-operators showed increased SRR for occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis (42.0; 95% CI 29.3-60.3), largely due to cutting/soluble oils. The occupation mostly affected by infectious disease was welding trades (12.9; 95% CI 5.7-29.3), mainly attributable to microbial pathogenicity. This study identified the occupational groups at increased risk of developing an SLRD based on data recorded over a recent two-decade period in the UK. Occupational asthma and rhinitis were identified as the prevailing conditions and hypersensitivity pneumonitis as a potentially rising respiratory problem in the metalworking industry.

Recurrent Occupational Hantavirus Infections Linked to Feeder Rodent Breeding Farm, Taiwan, 2022.

We investigated 2 acute cases and 1 previous case of Seoul hantavirus infection in workers in a feeder rodent breeding farm in Taiwan. Prevalence of hantavirus IgG among the tested feeder rats was 37.5%. Appropriate prevention measures, including using disinfection protocols and personal protective equipment, are crucial to lowering risk.

Burden and factors associated with occupational tuberculosis infection among high-risk workers in Lahore District, Pakistan.

The main objective of the study was to estimate the burden of occupational tuberculosis infection in high-risk occupational workers and to identify risk factors associated with the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among high-risk occupational workers including veterinarians, abattoir workers, animal handlers, livestock farmers, and microbiology laboratory workers. Sputum samples were collected from 100 participants and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were done to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) infection. Data on potential risk factors was collected in a pre-designed questionnaire. The MTBC prevalence ratio was estimated. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors and the crude odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Among the 100 enrolled high risk occupational workers, the prevalence of MTBC was 46% (95% CI: 35.98-56.25). Living in a joint family (OR 3.85, 95% CI: 1.58-9.37), and use of unpasteurized milk (OR 3.42, 95% CI: 1.4-8.39), were significantly associated with MTBC infection. Tuberculosis is a significant health burden in high-risk occupational groups, especially animal handlers and laboratory workers, in Lahore, Pakistan. The study also emphasized the need for formal work-related training, and enhanced zoonotic TB awareness among occupational workers.

Analyzing the 7C psychological antecedents of vaccine acceptance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare sector workers in France: A repeated cross-sectional study (CappVac-Cov)

BackgroundAcross various stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and related vaccine recommendations in France, we assessed the association of the 7C-psychological antecedents with vaccine uptake/intention for booster vaccination among healthcare-sector workers (HCSWs). We also assessed whether 7C-antecedent profiles changed over time. MethodologyThe Research Group for the Prevention of Occupational Infections in Healthcare Workers (GERES) conducted three repeated web-surveys which were disseminated by email chain-referral among HCSWs throughout France. The questionnaires waves took place: July-November 2021, February-March 2022 and January-March 2023 (P2, P3 and P4). We also reanalysed data from a prior similar study conducted late 2020-early 2021 (Moirangthem et al. (2022)) (P1). To evaluate the association of 7C-items with vaccine uptake-intention for future vaccination, we estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) using robust variance Poisson regression. We report the 7C-item population attributable loss in vaccine intention. ResultsThe four surveys (P1-P4) encompassed 5234, 339, 351 and 437 participants. At earlier stages of the vaccine campaign, the principal antecedents of vaccine intention were favorable perception of vaccination benefit-risk-balance (BRB) (vs. unfavorable, aPR: 2.32), reactance to employer encouragement for vaccination (motivates vs. dissuades-me, aPR:2.23), vaccine confidence (vs. not-being-confident, aPR: 1.71) and social conformism towards vaccination (favorable vs. skeptical opinion in private environment, aPR: 1.33). Under a vaccine mandate for HCSWs, only perceiving vaccination as a collective action was associated with current vaccine status (agree vs. disagree, aPR: 2.19). At later stages of the epidemic, hypothetical booster vaccine intentions were strongly associated with BRB perception (favorable vs. unfavorable, aPR: 2.07) and perceiving vaccination as a collective action (agree vs. disagree, aPR: 1.69). Fearing a severe side effect from vaccination decreased population vaccine intention by 26.2 %. ConclusionOur results suggest that both 7C-antecedents and their association with vaccine behaviour can change over time, and underscore the importance of assuring confidence in vaccine safety.

ETC 07 - Veterinary Occupational Health and Infection Control Assessment Program (VOHICA)

ETC 07 - Veterinary Occupational Health and Infection Control Assessment Program (VOHICA)

Factors underlying the high occupational risk of healthcare personnel for COVID-19 infection.

To verify the rate of COVID-19 infection among healthcare personnel at high and low risk of COVID-19 infection and identify the underlying risk factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. Associations were verified between the levels of risk (high or low) of occupational COVID-19 infection and participant characteristics using the World Health Organization risk assessment questionnaire and adjusted using logistic regression models in single and multiple approaches. Of the 486 participants, 57.4% were classified as having a high occupational risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a diagnosis rate of 12.1%. The factors identified in the multivariate analysis for high occupational risk were age up to 29 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.63-4.47), monthly family income greater than eight times the basic salary (OR= 1.8, 95%CI= 1.07-3.16), and healthcare personnel who did not participate in initial training to work in the area of patients with COVID-19 infection (OR= 2.39, 95%CI= 1.53-3.75). Encouraging training for occupational infection prevention is very important to reduce the impact of infectious diseases on healthcare personnel, especially young health professionals. COVID-19 infection among healthcare personnel has impacted the workforce in hospitals. Knowledge of the risk factors for COVID-19 infection is important for disease prevention measures. Failure to train healthcare personnel is an important risk factor for acquiring COVID-19.

Tuberculosis as an interdisciplinary problem: a case of occupational damage to the organs of the genitourinary system

In the Russian Federation, genitourinary tuberculosis ranks third in the structure of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Timely recognition of genitourinary tuberculosis is usually difficult. The authors analyzed a case of occupational infection with tuberculosis of the genitourinary system by a phthisiologist. The clinical observation ended with a clinical cure for tuberculosis of the genitourinary system, however, with the outcome in chronic prostatitis, chronic post-tuberculosis pyelonephritis with the development of chronic kidney disease. It is shown that the timely establishment of a connection between urinary syndrome and epidemiological, including professional anamnesis, contributes to the timely establishment of the professional nature of the disease. With untimely diagnosis and late initiation of treatment of tuberculosis of the genitourinary system, serious complications can develop up to the destruction of the kidney with complete loss of its function, which leads to disability and loss of ability to work. If tuberculosis of the genitourinary system is suspected, experts recommend conducting a study of urine sediment, prostate secretion to determine the deoxyribonucleic acid of mycobacterium tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction. Any doubt in case of nonspecific inflammation of the genitourinary system should be interpreted in favor of tuberculosis with further in-depth examination and dynamic monitoring.

The main directions of prevention of occupational infection viral hepatitis with a contact transmission mechanism in hospitals in Saint-Petersburg

The high level of hepatitis B and C infection in the modern period in the general population increases the frequency of contact of hospital specialists with patients with this infectious pathology. A significant concentration of infection sources in medical organizations and violations in the implementation of disinfection and sterilization algorithms and requirements for hand hygiene of medical workers create conditions for the nosocomial spread of viral hepatitis pathogens with a contact transmission echanism.The aim. Substantiation of the main directions of prevention of occupational infection viral hepatitis with a contact transmission mechanism in hospitals of Saint Petersburg.Materials and methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the annual reports of Saint-Petersburg hospitals was carried out, which contain information on the number of new cases chronic forms of viral hepatitis among specialists of medical organizations and on the number personnel under dispensary supervision for these infectious diseases, as well as on the number of injuries received by hospital staff while performing functional duties, as well as vaccination coverage against viral hepatitis B, measles and diphtheria for the period from 2009 to 2022. The assessment of the equipment of megapolis healthcare institutions modern washing-disinfecting and sterilization equipment was also carried out.Results and discussion. The realization of the possibility of infecting hospital specialists viral hepatitis with a contact transmission mechanism is predetermined by the high concentration of patients with this pathology in healthcare institutions; the presence of occupational injuries during the implementation of medical and diagnostic procedures and disinfection and sterilization measures.Conclusion. A set of measures for early detection of sources of infections with a contact transmission mechanism among patients and staff; disinfection of medical devices using modern disinfection and sterilization equipment; revaccination against hepatitis B and equipping workplaces of specialists with personal protective equipment in full remains relevant for the prevention of occupational infection of medical workers.

Health Care Worker Perception on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Service Delivery among Health Care Workers in South-East Nigeria

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) prevention among health care workers (HCWs) remains a key issue. Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus endangers public health and kills a large number of individuals, including medical staff. There is now a genuine danger of HIV transmission among HCWs during work exposure. This study aims to assess health care worker perception on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and service delivery among health care workers in South-East Nigeria. Descriptive cross sectional study design using multistage sampling techniques was used to select four hundred respondents. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software version 25.0. Mean scores were generated for the major outcome variables of knowledge, attitude and practice of immunization schedule. P value was assumed significant at values less than 0.05. The findings of this study shows that 218 (54.5%) were male and 182 (45.5%) were female, 312 (78.0%) have good knowledge , 109 (27.3%) had history of occupational exposure to HIV, 234 (58.5%) had high, 85 (21.3%) had moderate and 81 (20.3%) had low level of exposure to occupational HIV, socio demographic variable based on age, religion, tribe, marital status and tear of practice shows a significant association with perceived level of exposure to occupational HIV at (ꭓ2=45.511, p=0.000), (ꭓ2=67.189, p=0.000), (ꭓ2=692.874, p=0.000), (ꭓ2=35.331, p=0.000) and (ꭓ2=34.899, p=0.000) respectively as p<0.05 and non-significant association with gender of the respondents at p<0.05. The findings from this study shows that there is a high level of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis among health care workers in the study area, larger proportion perceived level of exposure to occupational HIV and at significant risk of acquiring occupational infections, even though majority were satisfied with service delivery. Health authorities in the study area need to improve the training of HCWs and provision of infection prevention equipment.

On assessing the risk of occupational COVID-19 infection of medical workers

The article presents data on occupational morbidity among medical workers caused by exposure to a biological factor. Modern methods of assessing the risk of occupational infection of medical workers with COVID-19 are considered, including screening based on a questionnaire developed by WHO in 2022 and then adapted for medical workers and the use of a matrix of the impact of a biological factor in the workplace, which will allow to justify a set of effective preventive measures on a large array of data obtained.

Occupational safety and infection control for risk groups in the Covid-19 pandemic and the participation of employee representative bodies

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has posed new challenges for occupational safety and health. The protection of disabled and other vulnerable employees (risk groups) is no exception. For these groups of employees, the special hazards and risks associated with the workplace must be given special consideration. This article presents our study of company practices for dealing with risk groups, with particular reference to remote working constellations, and shows that the involvement of employee representative bodies has a positive impact on the scope and quality of protective measures. However, the low level of involvement of employee representatives in the planning and implementation of protective measures is problematic. The results are from an online survey of 1543 representatives of works and staff councils and representatives of severely disabled people in Germany.

The burden of healthcare-associated infection in Moroccan hospitals: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI), also referred to as nosocomial infections, is defined as an infection acquired in a hospital setting. This infection is considered a HAI if it was not present or incubating at the time of admission. This includes infections acquired in the hospital but appearing after discharge, and also occupational infections among staff of the facility. HAI are a major patient safety measure to be considered in hospitals.

Successful pandemic management through computer science: a case study of a financial corporation with workers on premises.

In November 2019, an infectious agent that caused a severe acute respiratory illness was first detected in China. Its rapid spread resulted in a global lockdown with negative economic impacts. In this regard, we expose the solutions proposed by a multinational financial institution that maintained their workers on premises, so this methodology can be applied to possible future health crisis. To ensure a secure workplace for the personnel on premises employing biomedical prevention measures and computational tools. Professionals were subjected to recurrent COVID-19 diagnostic tests during the pandemic. The sanitary team implemented an individual following to all personnel and introduced the information in databases. The data collected were used for clustering algorithms, decision trees, and networking diagrams to predict outbreaks in the workplace. Individualized control panels assisted the decision-making process to increase, maintain, or relax restrictive measures. 55,789 diagnostic tests were performed. A positive correlation was observed between the cumulative incidence reported by Madrid's Ministry of Health and the headcount. No correlation was observed for occupational infections, representing 1.9% of the total positives. An overall 1.7% of the cases continued testing positive for COVID-19 after 14 days of quarantine. Based on a combined approach of medical and computational science tools, we propose a management model that can be extended to other industries that can be applied to possible future health crises. This work shows that this model resulted in a safe workplace with a low probability of infection among workers during the pandemic.

Analysis of the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in groups of medical and non-medical professions.

The assessment of the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in various professional groups is very important. Hence, the purpose of the following study was to analyze the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among employees performing both medical and nonmedical professions before the launch of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The study was conducted among employers of 1 of the institutions: The Provincial Specialist Hospital of Władysław Biegański in Łódź, Poland, Radio Łódź and the Border Guards of Łódź Airport. Blood samples were collected in December 2020-February 2021. Patients were screened for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Simultaneously respondents were asked to complete a self-designed questionnaire including demographic data, detailed profession, history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in the group of rural residents (p < 0.012), participants who declared previous COVID-19 infection (p < 0.001) and healthcare workers (HCWs) (p = 0.002), especially nurses (35.5%, p = 0.003) and medics worked in areas dedicated to COVID-19 than in other specialties (38.7% vs. 26.8%, respectively, p = 0.017). There was no association between the presence of antibodies and the gender (p = 0.118), age (p = 0.559) or BMI (p = 0.998). Healthcare workers, in particular nurses, are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. Occupational infections can occur during occur not only during contact with the patient, but also with members of the medical team who do not show typical symptoms of the disease. Shortages in medical staff may also increase the number of infections among HCWs. Medical and hospital staff providing health services during the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland, may seek compensation in the event of consequences related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The effectiveness of education and self-discipline in complying to safety rules among HCWs should also be constantly monitored. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(5):643-55.

Continuous professional development — innovative training methods of average health workers

The article presents the experience of optimizing the work of an educational and methodological office in a medical organization. A study to determine the level of nursing staff satisfaction with the learning process was conducted. Aim. Improving (optimizing) the activities of the educational and methodological office and enhancing the qualit y of work of medical personnel. Results. Obtaining high quality indicators in the work of the nursing staff of a medical organization is directly related to the optimization of the work of the educational and methodological office. Conducting additional theoretical and practical classes on identified violations, credits and testing of nursing staff, regular training of junior and middle medical personnel on nosocomial infection, as well as targeted internal audits aim nurses at a more serious and competent attitude to the prevention of nosocomial infection and occupational infections. Conclusion. The strategy for the development of continuous education in the workplace is one of the most successful tools to meet the challenges of compliance of the capabilities of nursing staff with the high demands of modern healthcare.

Assessment of occupational risks of bloodborne infectious diseases for dental personnel

BACKGROUND: Awareness of dental workers about the epidemiology of blood-borne infections (HIV, hepatitis B virus [HBV], and hepatitis C virus infections) and knowledge about actions to take if accidents occur in the workplace such as contact with blood and other biological fluids are a key link in the prevention of these infections.&#x0D; AIMS: To assess awareness and adherence of dental personnel to the algorithm of postexposure prophylaxis of occupational infections with blood-borne pathogens.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive crosssectional study enrolled the dental staff of public and private dental clinics in Kazan, Russia. A survey of 173 dental staff was conducted in FebruaryMarch 2023. The rates of incidents caused by contact with blood and their nature among dental staff were determined, and the frequency of correctly performed algorithm of actions during an incident was calculated. The frequency of the implementation of measures for the prevention of occupational infections with blood-borne pathogens was estimated. Categorical data were described as absolute values and proportions (%).&#x0D; RESULTS: In total, 65 specialists (37.6%) had encountered incidents such as contact with blood at the workplace. These incidents were significantly more common among women than among men: 44.7% (55/123) vs. 20.0% (10/50), respectively (p=0.002). The last incident in 50 respondents was associated with skin damage (needlestick injury or cut exposure); in 17 participants, their mucous membranes were exposed to blood (including two people with a mixed characteristic of incident: skin damage + exposure of their mucous membranes to blood). After contact with blood, local treatment was carried out correctly (according to Russian recommendations) in 18.0% of the participants with skin damage and 70.5% with blood exposure to mucous membranes. After the incident, 58.5% of the participants (38/65) reported to the head of the department or clinic, and a third of the respondents (23/65, 35.4%) recorded a case of contact with blood in the incident log. Nearly all respondents always use gloves (172/173, 99.4%) when they work in the dental office. Moreover, 64.2% of the respondents (111/173) always use safety glasses or screens. Nine respondents (9/173, 5.2%) do not use personal eye protection. Others (53/173, 30.6%) wear safety glasses/screens only when performing certain procedures. In addition, 85.0% (147/173) of the respondents have been vaccinated against HBV, 18 have not been vaccinated (10.4%), and 8 (4.6%) do not know their vaccination status.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study present the necessity of raising awareness among dental staff regarding the epidemiology and prevention of blood-borne infections to reduce the risk of occupational infections.