A review of occupational exposure to blood and blood products in medical students in a South African university

Abstract

Background: There is a significant risk of a medical student acquiring a blood-borne pathogen following occupational exposure to blood and other bodily fluids from infected patients in the healthcare setting. Internationally and nationally, interventions have been implemented in medical schools to reduce students’ risk of acquiring a blood-borne pathogen. Few studies in South Africa have evaluated such interventions.