Background
Health care workers (HCW) are at risk of occupational exposure to infectious diseases and can also transmit diseases to their patients. The related occupational disease (BK: “Berufskrankheit”) is BK 3101.
Objective
Number of claims and confirmed claims of occupational infections, risk of infection depending on occupation and field of activity, kind of infectious diseases, limits and opportunities of prevention.
Materials and methods
Selective literature search, particularly on data of accident insurance institutions regarding occupational infections among HCW.
Results
In 2017, BK 3101 was the fifth most common cause of confirmed occupational disease. The number of occupational infections in HCW has decreased over the last 22 years in Germany. The decrease was primarily due to lower rates of blood-borne infections.
Conclusion
Occupational infections continue to be a risk for HCW. Preventive measures reduce the risk of infection among HCW as well as the nosocomial transmission among patients.