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Occupational Medicine56 papers

Needle stick injury of mouth

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Needle stick injuries (NSIs) in healthcare settings, particularly involving the mouth, are occupational hazards that can lead to serious health risks including bloodborne pathogen transmission. These injuries often occur due to inadequate safety practices and lack of proper protective equipment 134.

Diagnosis

  • Clinical Presentation: History of exposure through accidental puncture, especially involving the mouth 13.
  • Recommended Tests: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocols should be initiated based on the source patient's bloodborne pathogen status 13.
  • Grading: Not typically graded but assessed based on exposure route and potential pathogen exposure 13.

    • Management

  • Immediate Actions: Wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water if the mouth is involved; seek medical evaluation promptly 13.
  • Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP): Initiate PEP according to institutional protocols, including antiviral therapy if exposure to bloodborne pathogens like HIV or hepatitis B/C is suspected 13.
  • Follow-Up: Regular follow-up testing for bloodborne pathogens as per guidelines 13.

    • Special Populations

  • Pregnancy: PEP regimens should be carefully selected to avoid teratogenic risks; consult infectious disease specialists 13.
  • Pediatrics: Similar immediate and prophylactic measures apply; pediatric dosing adjustments may be necessary 13.
  • Elderly: Consider comorbidities when selecting PEP regimens; close monitoring for adverse effects 13.

    • Key Recommendations

  • Implement comprehensive training programs on safety practices to reduce NSIs, including proper handling of sharps 212 (Evidence: Moderate).
  • Use safety-engineered devices such as safety needles and infusion sets with protective mechanisms 712 (Evidence: Moderate).
  • Ensure prompt initiation of PEP protocols following any NSI, tailored to the specific risk factors and patient status 13 (Evidence: Strong).
  • Conduct regular surveillance and reporting systems for NSIs to identify high-risk areas and implement targeted interventions 36 (Evidence: Moderate).
  • Enhance workplace culture to prioritize safety and reduce psychosocial factors contributing to NSIs 11 (Evidence: Moderate).

    • References

    1 Ghasemi R, Ebrahimi H, Najafi-Vosough R, Ghasemi S, Rahimi J, Abedinloo R. The relation between sensation seeking, aggression and self-confidence with Needle stick and Sharp injuries among nurses. PloS one 2025. link 2 Tahir S, Hamid M, Khan S. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of anaesthesia personnel towards needle stick injuries in a tertiary care hospital. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 2024. link 3 Li X, He Q, Zhao H. Situation and associated factors of needle stick and sharps injuries among health-care workers in a tertiary hospital: a cross-sectional survey. BMC health services research 2024. link 4 Berhan Z, Malede A, Gizeyatu A, Sisay T, Lingerew M, Kloos H et al.. Prevalence and associated factors of needle stick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in northwestern Ethiopia. PloS one 2021. link 5 Bouya S, Balouchi A, Rafiemanesh H, Amirshahi M, Dastres M, Moghadam MP et al.. Global Prevalence and Device Related Causes of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Annals of global health 2020. link 6 Saadeh R, Khairallah K, Abozeid H, Al Rashdan L, Alfaqih M, Alkhatatbeh O. Needle Stick and Sharp Injuries Among Healthcare Workers: A retrospective six-year study. Sultan Qaboos University medical journal 2020. link 7 Lu W, Pan Q, Zhou Y, Chen W, Zhang H, Qi W. Development and Application of One Separation-Free Safety Tube on the Disposable Infusion Needle. Computational and mathematical methods in medicine 2020. link 8 Abebe AM, Kassaw MW, Shewangashaw NE. Prevalence of needle-stick and sharp object injuries and its associated factors among staff nurses in Dessie referral hospital Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2018. BMC research notes 2018. link 9 Garus-Pakowska A, Ulrichs M, Gaszyńska E. Circumstances and Structure of Occupational Sharp Injuries among Healthcare Workers of a Selected Hospital in Central Poland. International journal of environmental research and public health 2018. link 10 Hassnain S, Hassan Z, Amjad S, Zulqarnain M, Arshad K, Zain Z. Needle stick injuries among nurses of two tertiary care hospitals of Lahore: A KAP study. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 2017. link 11 Loerbroks A, Shang L, Angerer P, Li J. Psychosocial work characteristics and needle stick and sharps injuries among nurses in China: a prospective study. International archives of occupational and environmental health 2015. link 12 Tarigan LH, Cifuentes M, Quinn M, Kriebel D. Prevention of needle-stick injuries in healthcare facilities: a meta-analysis. Infection control and hospital epidemiology 2015. link 13 Van der Molen HF, Zwinderman KA, Sluiter JK, Frings-Dresen MH. Interventions to prevent needle stick injuries among health care workers. Work (Reading, Mass.) 2012. link 14 Frahm C, Gehl HB, Melchert UH, Weiss HD. Visualization of magnetic resonance-compatible needles at 1.5 and 0.2 Tesla. Cardiovascular and interventional radiology 1996. link 15 Mansour AM. Capping device for sharp instruments. Annals of ophthalmology 1993. link 16 Clarke TN, Human RP. Contamination of hypodermic needles in anaesthetic practice. Anaesthesia 1984. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      The relation between sensation seeking, aggression and self-confidence with Needle stick and Sharp injuries among nurses. — Ghasemi R, Ebrahimi H, Najafi-Vosough R, Ghasemi S, Rahimi J, Abedinloo R PloS one (2025)
    2. [2]
      Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of anaesthesia personnel towards needle stick injuries in a tertiary care hospital. — Tahir S, Hamid M, Khan S JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association (2024)
    3. [3]
      Situation and associated factors of needle stick and sharps injuries among health-care workers in a tertiary hospital: a cross-sectional survey. — Li X, He Q, Zhao H BMC health services research (2024)
    4. [4]
      Prevalence and associated factors of needle stick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in northwestern Ethiopia. — Berhan Z, Malede A, Gizeyatu A, Sisay T, Lingerew M, Kloos H et al. PloS one (2021)
    5. [5]
      Global Prevalence and Device Related Causes of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Bouya S, Balouchi A, Rafiemanesh H, Amirshahi M, Dastres M, Moghadam MP et al. Annals of global health (2020)
    6. [6]
      Needle Stick and Sharp Injuries Among Healthcare Workers: A retrospective six-year study. — Saadeh R, Khairallah K, Abozeid H, Al Rashdan L, Alfaqih M, Alkhatatbeh O Sultan Qaboos University medical journal (2020)
    7. [7]
      Development and Application of One Separation-Free Safety Tube on the Disposable Infusion Needle. — Lu W, Pan Q, Zhou Y, Chen W, Zhang H, Qi W Computational and mathematical methods in medicine (2020)
    8. [8]
      Prevalence of needle-stick and sharp object injuries and its associated factors among staff nurses in Dessie referral hospital Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2018. — Abebe AM, Kassaw MW, Shewangashaw NE BMC research notes (2018)
    9. [9]
      Circumstances and Structure of Occupational Sharp Injuries among Healthcare Workers of a Selected Hospital in Central Poland. — Garus-Pakowska A, Ulrichs M, Gaszyńska E International journal of environmental research and public health (2018)
    10. [10]
      Needle stick injuries among nurses of two tertiary care hospitals of Lahore: A KAP study. — Hassnain S, Hassan Z, Amjad S, Zulqarnain M, Arshad K, Zain Z JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association (2017)
    11. [11]
      Psychosocial work characteristics and needle stick and sharps injuries among nurses in China: a prospective study. — Loerbroks A, Shang L, Angerer P, Li J International archives of occupational and environmental health (2015)
    12. [12]
      Prevention of needle-stick injuries in healthcare facilities: a meta-analysis. — Tarigan LH, Cifuentes M, Quinn M, Kriebel D Infection control and hospital epidemiology (2015)
    13. [13]
      Interventions to prevent needle stick injuries among health care workers. — Van der Molen HF, Zwinderman KA, Sluiter JK, Frings-Dresen MH Work (Reading, Mass.) (2012)
    14. [14]
      Visualization of magnetic resonance-compatible needles at 1.5 and 0.2 Tesla. — Frahm C, Gehl HB, Melchert UH, Weiss HD Cardiovascular and interventional radiology (1996)
    15. [15]
      Capping device for sharp instruments. — Mansour AM Annals of ophthalmology (1993)
    16. [16]
      Contamination of hypodermic needles in anaesthetic practice. — Clarke TN, Human RP Anaesthesia (1984)
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