Registration of blood exposure accidents in The Netherlands by a nationally operating call center.

Objective: Healthcare providers and other employees, especially those who do not work in a hospital, may not easily find help after the occurrence of a blood exposure accident. In 2006, a national call center was established in The Netherlands to fill this gap.

Methods: All occupational blood exposure accidents reported to the 24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week call center from 2007, 2008, and 2009 were analyzed retrospectively for incidence rates, risk assessment, handling, and preventive measures taken.

The risk of blood exposure incidents in dental practices in the Netherlands.

Objectives: An awareness of the risk of blood-borne infections among dentists has been promoted by the Dutch Dental Association (NMT) as part of their quality and safety programme, and a nationally operating expert counselling centre was contracted to manage all reported incidents.

Methods: We analysed data on hepatitis B vaccination status, sex and age for all reported incidents recorded by this centre during 2008. We compared this with data collected at same time during a national survey to assess the performance of the centre.

Lymphocytopenia and neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio predict bacteremia better than conventional infection markers in an emergency care unit.

Introduction: Absolute lymphocytopenia has been reported as a predictor of bacteremia in medical emergencies. Likewise, the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR) has been shown a simple promising method to evaluate systemic inflammation in critically ill patients.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the ability of conventional infection markers, lymphocyte count and NLCR to predict bacteremia in adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department with suspected community-acquired bacteremia.

Impact of new guidelines for blood exposure incidents in The Netherlands.

Background: In 2007, a new set of guidelines for blood exposure incidents was introduced in The Netherlands to standardize management and reduce use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Accidents now have to be assigned into risk categories with the corresponding medical intervention.

Aims: To study the consequences of the guidelines on overall risk assessment and costs of hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevention.

Occupational blood exposure accidents in the Netherlands.

Background: To make proper evaluation of prevention policies possible, data on the incidence and associated medical costs of occupational blood exposure accidents in the Netherlands are needed.

Methods: Descriptive analysis of blood exposure accidents and risk estimates for occupational groups. Costs of handling accidents were calculated.