BACKGROUND Adequate knowledge and practices on post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV among health care providers are crucial for HIV prevention. However there is limited data on PEP knowledge and practice from developing countries where the burden of HIV infection continues to increase. We assessed the knowledge of clinical medical students on PEP, their practices in response to occupational ...

INTRODUCTION Timely PEP after needle stick exposure to high risk body fluids can reduce the rate of occupational transmission significantly. Ignorance of this may increase the risk of seroconversion to HIV for healthcare workers. This study was conducted with the aim of demonstrating the current level of knowledge and practise of healthcare workers as regards PEP. METHODS This was a cross-sec...

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for leprosy is administered as one single dose of rifampicin (SDR) to the contacts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients. SDR reduces the risk of developing leprosy among contacts by around 60 % in the first 2-3 years after receiving SDR. In countries where SDR is currently being implemented under routine programme conditions in defined areas, questions were raised...

We have reviewed various strategies involved in containment of measles in healthcare facilities during community outbreaks. The strategies that are more applicable to resource-poor settings, such as natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation with heating and air-conditioning systems allowing unidirectional air-flow, and protection of un-infected patients and healthcare workers (HCWs), have bee...

Hendra virus infection is an emerging infectious disease that is not well understood. Most cases of Hendra virus infection have occurred in Queensland, with one case in a horse in NSW. Hendra virus infection has a high mortality rate in horses and humans and as cases could occur anywhere in Australia it is important to be ready for prompt action should an outbreak occur in NSW. This paper: revi...

The use of post exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) following sexual exposure (PEPSE) was retrospectively audited in an inner city genitourinary clinic against the 2015 national guidelines by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH). One-hundred out of a total of 101 patients (99%) had a baseline HIV test done. 82.1% (n=83) of patients were given PEPSE p...

OBJECTIVE To determine the occurrence of percutaneous injuries (PI) and accidental exposure to patients' blood (AEPB) in surgical residents in Enugu, Nigeria, their awareness of universal precautions (UP), and use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). MATERIALS AND METHODS Self-administered semi-structured pre-tested questionnaires were administered to 230 consenting trainee surgeons. RESULTS...

BACKGROUND Needle stick injuries (NSI) are the commonest route by which blood borne viruses and/or infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C are transmitted from patients to health care workers (HCW). Dental students are also at risk of such infections and injuries due to accidental contamination during their practical occupational exposure. There is hardly any information regarding the knowled...

To date there are no published studies on the effectiveness of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after sexual exposure. However, as emergency physicians we are faced with the dilemma of assessing the risk of HIV transmission and providing appropriate care for patients who present to us after sexual assault. Current practice in UK emergency departments and genitourinary clinics varies from tru...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate public knowledge regarding predisposing factors, fatality and prevention of Tetanus and Rabies and attitudes toward vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis. METHODS A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in all the 18 towns of Karachi, the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan, from December 2007 to January 2008. Men and women of more than 18 years of...