occupational blood exposure among health care personnel and hospital trainees

blood and body fluid exposure is a major occupational safety problems for health care workers. therefore, we conducted a descriptive and retrospective study to identify the characteristics of blood exposure accidents in health care settings which lasted five years (2005-2009) at the two university hospitals of sfax. we have 593 blood exposure accidents in health care settings 152 (25.6%) health personnel and 441 (74.4%) trainees' doctors, nurses and health technicians. the mechanism of blood and body fluid exposure was accidental needle-stick injury in 78.9% of health staff, and 81% of trainees, accidental cut in 14.7% of health workers and 10.2% of trainees. the increasing severity of blood exposure accidents is linked to the lack of safe behavior against this risk.