New guidelines for occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses.

The US Public Health Service recently updated its guidelines for managing health care workers exposed to blood or other body fluids that might contain blood-borne viruses. The update addresses, among other things, timely administration of hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine, appropriate testing for hepatitis C exposure, and new information on prophylaxis after exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).