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Infections in Healthcare Workers in Germany—22-Year Time Trends

Author

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  • Albert Nienhaus

    (Competence Centre for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
    Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Health workers (HWs) run an increased risk of infection. The standardised data set of an accident insurer was used to analyse the time trends of infection-related claims and confirmed occupational diseases (ODs) in HWs. The numbers of claims and confirmed claims for different infections were analysed for the years 1996 to 2017. The rate of claims and confirmed ODs were calculated per 100,000 full-time workers. The number of claims was relatively stable over time. However, the rate per 100,000 full-time workers decreased from 25.2 to 15.4. The decrease was most pronounced for hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections, which were the most frequent infections for which claims were made at the start of the period. In 2017, tuberculosis (TB)-related claims were more frequent than those related to blood-borne virus infections. However, the growing number of TB claims does not reflect an increased infection risk, but rather improved methods for the diagnosis of latent TB infection (LTBI). Measures to prevent blood-borne virus infections in HWs were successful in the last 22 years, but attention should be paid to newly emerging infections.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert Nienhaus, 2018. "Infections in Healthcare Workers in Germany—22-Year Time Trends," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2656-:d:185665
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Francesco Gilardi & Guido Castelli Gattinara & Maria Rosaria Vinci & Marta Ciofi Degli Atti & Veronica Santilli & Rita Brugaletta & Annapaola Santoro & Rosina Montanaro & Luisa Lavorato & Massimiliano, 2018. "Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Health Care Workers. A Pre-Post Intervention Study in an Italian Paediatric Hospital," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-10, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Melanie Runge & Magdalene Krensel & Claudia Westermann & Dominik Bindl & Klaus Nagels & Matthias Augustin & Albert Nienhaus, 2020. "Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents for Occupational Hepatitis C Infections in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Albert Nienhaus & Rozita Hod, 2020. "COVID-19 among Health Workers in Germany and Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-10, July.
    3. Albert Nienhaus, 2021. "COVID-19 among Health Workers in Germany—An Update," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-10, August.
    4. Albert Nienhaus & Johanna Stranzinger & Agnessa Kozak, 2023. "COVID-19 as an Occupational Disease—Temporal Trends in the Number and Severity of Claims in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-9, January.
    5. Anita Gębska-Kuczerowska & Izabela Kucharska & Agnieszka Segiet-Święcicka & Marcin Kuczerowski & Robert Gajda, 2021. "Disposal of Waste from Tattoo and Beauty Parlors in Poland: A Survey-Based Analysis on Epidemiological Safety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Nika Zielinski & Johanna Stranzinger & Hajo Zeeb & Jan Felix Kersten & Albert Nienhaus, 2021. "Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Workers in Germany—A Retrospective Study on Progression Risk and Use of Preventive Therapy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-9, July.
    7. Jan Felix Kersten & Albert Nienhaus & Stephanie Schneider & Anja Schablon, 2020. "Tuberculosis among Health Workers—A Secondary Data Analysis of German Social Accident Insurance Data from 2002–2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-9, February.

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