A survey of occupational blood contact and HIV infection among traditional birth attendants in Rwanda

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection among traditional birth attendants (TBA) in Rwanda, Africa.

Design and methods: A serosurvey was conducted among 219 TBA practicing in a rural but densely populated area in southern Rwanda. Each TBA was interviewed about sociodemographic information, work-related habits and practices, and presence of nonoccupational risk factors for HIV infection. The frequency of skin exposure to HIV-infected blood was estimated for each TBA from HIV seroprevalence data collected previously from pregnant women stratified by the geographic zones in which the TBA practiced.

Results: Four TBA (1.8%) tested HIV-1-antibody-positive; all four had reported nonoccupational risk factors for HIV infection. We estimated that the 215 HIV-negative TBA had 2234 potentially infectious blood-skin contacts out of a total of approximately 35,000 deliveries assisted in the past 5 years. However, we found no evidence of HIV infection caused by occupational blood contact (none out of 2234; upper limit of the 95% confidence interval because of one potentially infectious blood-skin contact = 0.2%).

Conclusion: Although these findings may not be universal to all TBA in Africa, the risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection among TBA appears small. The high frequency of blood-skin contact among TBA in Rwanda highlights the need to include infection control precautions in the training of TBA.

PIP: Samples of blood from 219 traditional birth attendants (TBA) practicing in a rural, densely populated area in southern Rwanda were tested for the presence of antibody against HIV-1 in an investigation of the risk for acquiring HIV infection occupationally. The TBAs were interviewed for sociodemographic data, on work-related habits and practices, and about nonoccupational risk factors for HIV infection. The researchers also estimated the frequency of skin exposure to HIV-infected blood for each TBA from HIV seroprevalence data collected previously from pregnant women stratified by the geographic zones in which each TBA practiced. Four TBAs tested seropositive for HIV-1 antibody; all had reported nonoccupational risk factors for infection. It was also estimated that the 215 HIV-negative TBAs had 2234 potentially infectious blood-skin contacts out of a total of approximately 35,000 deliveries assisted over the previous past five years. No evidence was therefore found of HIV infection caused by occupational blood contact and the risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection among TBAs seems small. The high frequency of blood-skin contact among TBAs in Rwanda, however, highlights the need to include infection control precautions in the training of TBAs.