Abstract
Although surgeons are seldom required to treat viral infections, viral infection exposure should still be a topic of concern to surgeons, because infection can cause illness in patients after surgery, and can spread to the hospital staff. This review discusses the prevention of transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses and the management of exposure to these viruses. A discussion of virus size and structure is presented, and six methods for detection are reviewed: serologic testing, isolation of virus, histologic examination, detection of viral antigens, detection of viral nucleic acid, and electron microscopy. Also discussed are viral infections that are of interest to surgeons, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes viruses, and viral infections from animal bites.
This review contains 5 figures, 10 tables, 1 diagnostic HIV algorithm, and 137 references.