| How to cite this article: Wiwanitkit S, Wiwanitkit V. Intolerance to postexposure antiretroviral drug use in medical personnel getting needlestick injuries. Ann Trop Med Public Health 2016;9:82 |
| How to cite this URL: Wiwanitkit S, Wiwanitkit V. Intolerance to postexposure antiretroviral drug use in medical personnel getting needlestick injuries. Ann Trop Med Public Health [serial online] 2016 [cited 2020 Sep 24];9:82. Available from: https://www.atmph.org/text.asp?2016/9/1/82/168702 |
Dear Sir,
Postexposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in health care personnel is the standard practice. It is noted that this should be provided to all medical personnel who get accidentally injured by sharp objects or needles in clinical practice. Shevkani concluded that “this study indicates the need to reinforce knowledge regarding various aspects of occupational PEP to health care personals especially those associated with nursing (staff nurse, nursing students), Resident doctors and Laboratory technicians.” [1] Indeed, the problem of needlestick injury is a very important occupational medicine issue for medical personnel. As reported in the present study, various post exposure practices can be seen and this might reflect the problem of implementation of the guidelines in medical personnel. Indeed, some kinds of medical personnel, especially the less experienced ones (medical students, nurse students, and paramedical students) are at higher a risk. [2],[3] In addition, the problem on the availability of preexposure preventive tools and postexposure supporting tools should be mentioned since these tools are usually accessible in a limited manner in some settings. [2],[3] However, the practice will be useless if there is no proper method to follow up compliance of ones recieving postexposure prophylaxis. Here, the authors tried to summarize the incidence of intolerance to postexposure antiretroviral drug use in medical personnel getting needlestick injuries from a local setting in Thailand (name is blinded due to privacy reason). In a 5-year period, there are 53 incidents and all medical personnel with incidents get postexposure prophylaxis. Focusing on the follow-up, one case (1.89%) discarded the antiretroviral drug prophylaxis due to intolerance to drug side effect. However, this case has no seroconversion after follow-up. The problem of intolerance to antiretroviral drug has to be kept in mind and proper management should be planned since it can disrupt the good preventive measures of postexposure prophylaxis.
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Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References |
| 1. |
Shevkani M, Kavina B, Kumar P, Purohit H, Nihalani U, Shah A. An overview of post exposure prophylaxis for HIV in health care personals: Gujarat scenario. Indian J Sex Transm Dis 2011; 32:9-13.
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| 2. |
Suwansaksri J, Wiwanitkit V, Sugaroon S. Exposure to HIV risk during training among medical technologist students of the faculty of allied health science, Chulalongkorn University. Am J Infect Control 2002;30:320.
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| 3. |
Wiwanitkit V. Needle stick injuries during medical training among Thai pre-clinical year medical students of the faculty of medicine, Chulalongkorn University. J Med Assoc Thai 2001;84:120-4.
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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
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DOI: 10.4103/1755-6783.168702
