Читать книгу Occupational Health Law - Diana Kloss - Страница 56

Hepatitis B presents different problems from HIV. There is a reliable vaccine, and medical treatment results in most cases having a happy outcome, though it is still a serious disease. There is less social stigma attached to hepatitis B infection than to HIV infection. Nevertheless, it is far more likely that hepatitis B will be transmitted in the course of medical, dental or nursing practice because it is ten times more infectious than HIV. Up until 2015 there were nine episodes of documented transmission of HBV from infected surgeons to patients in the UK since 1991. It is recommended that all HCWs, including students, who have direct contact with blood, blood‐stained body fluids or patients’ tissues are offered immunisation against hepatitis B and tests to check their response to immunisation, including investigation of non‐response.

Hepatitis B is a notifiable disease and a prescribed industrial disease under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Scheme for HCWs.