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RN stuck with HIV infected blunt tip needle
Apr 8, 2008
A couple of days ago I was re-flushing an emergently placed central line on an HIV + patient with a metal blunt tipped needle. (same needle used to flush another port)The syringe had some blood in it. I missed the injection port and stuck the distal end of my thumb. (very tiny wound)I washed my hand immediatly and went to employee health where I met with an ID doctor. She said I don't want to take any chances and put me on Kaletra and COMBIVIR. She spent very little time discussing the side effects of the drugs and the potential problems associated with taking them for 28 days. Did my exposure warrant the taking of these drugs, and are there longterm sideffects of taking the drugs?
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Response from Dr. Frascino
Hello,
It is difficult for me to totally evaluate the degree of risk associated with your occupational exposure to HIV without additional information, such as the severity of the wound, source patient's viral load, extent of the exposure to tainted blood, etc. If the I.D. physician suggested a course of PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), I would recommend you follow that advice. That she didn't fully explain the potential side effects and toxicities of the antiretrovirals in your PEP regimen is unfortunate. This can be remedied either by going back to see the I.D. specialist and asking for additional information or by seeing an HIV specialist. I recommend that anyone who has had an HIV exposure significant enough to warrant a course of PEP be followed by an HIV specialist if possible. The specialist would document the degree of risk, optimize the PEP regimen if necessary, evaluate and manage PEP-related side effects and toxicities and arrange for and interpret post-PEP HIV tests out to six months. Long-term side effects from a course of properly prescribed and monitored courses of PEP would be rare. However, Combivir and Kaletra are potent medications and have a broad range of potential side effects/toxicities, including anemia, fatigue, diarrhea, etc. The physician following your course of PEP should review this information with you in detail.
Good luck.
Dr. Bob
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