ABSTRACT
Introduction Occupational health physicians and nurses who provide occupational health services for healthcare workers are faced with a range of ethical issues arising from problems involving blood-borne viruses. These viruses create interactive risks, which can lead to transmission of infection between healthcare workers and patients. 'Needlestick' or so-called 'sharps' injuries provide the usual mechanism through which healthcare workers can become infected by blood from patients that contains a blood-borne virus. In turn, patients can become infected by healthcare workers during surgical procedures if an incident occurs when, for example, a surgeon is cut by a scalpel blade while operating, and his or her blood is then transmitted directly into the patient's wound.
