Monkeypox: Nurse Tests Positive After Needlestick Incident.
Monkeypox: Nurse Tests Positive After Needlestick Incident
By Athena Chan 10/18/22 AT 12:19 AM
KEY POINTS
- The needlestick injury happened when the nurse was recapping a used needle
- The nurse got the monkeypox vaccine within hours of the incident
- Testing of the lesion on the puncture site turned out positive for monkeypox
A nurse acquired a monkeypox infection after an incident with a needle, authorities reported. It is said to be the first such case in the U.S.
The Florida Health Department found out about the incident on July 12, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on Monday.
During the incident, which had happened earlier that day, an emergency department nurse reportedly used a needle to “create an opening” in the lesion of a patient who was suspected to have monkeypox. This was being done in order to get direct contact with the fluids for the swabs.
However, the “needlestick” incident happened when the nurse was recapping the needle prior to disposal. The needle reportedly broke through the glove that the nurse was wearing, causing bleeding and a tear in the skin of the index finger.
Needlestick injury, also called sharps injury, is an incident wherein someone’s skin is pierced or punctured by a needle used in medical procedures. It can also occur through other medical devices such as lancets and scalpels.