MSF PEP Guideline

Occupational accidental exposure to blood or body fluids (AEB) is a work accident and need to be treated as such. The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is high in many of the settings where MSF works. These viruses can be transmitted through exposure of mucosal surfaces or damaged skin to contaminated blood or body fluids, including:

• Injury with a needle or other sharp instrument;
• Contact with mucous membranes or damaged skin (e.g. cutaneous cuts, abrasions);
• Unprotected sexual contact (oral, vaginal or anal, including rape);
• Unsafe blood transfusion.

Health care workers are at risk of occupational exposure and infection during the exercise of their professional activities. In this guideline we consider personnel working with MSF or a partner organisation, including the ministry of health. We focus on occupational exposure but also cover exposure to unprotected sex.