Background Accidental exposure to percutaneous needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and blood and other body fluids is the unintended contact with risky medical instruments or patient secretions during a medical intervention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of occupational injuries in healthcare professionals was revealed once again. To assess the occupational injuries, we compared rates, distribution and type of exposure to blood and body fluids and NSSIs of health care workers for 2019 (pre-pandemic era) and 2020 (pandemic era) years, respectively. Material and methods Our study included data collected by the ‘Hospital Infection Control Committee’ for the years 2019–2020. Data collected using the active surveillance method were analyzed retrospectively. Results During 2019 (pre-pandemic period) and 2020 (pandemic period), 112 (27.65% 0 ) and 82 (21.4% 0 ) NSSIs reported, respectively. Of the exposed HCWs in 2019 (pre-pandemic period), 16.8% 0 (14) were doctor, 53.6% 0 (60) were nurse and 47.4% 0 (14) were intern doctors. In the 2020 (pandemic period), NSSIs were observed most frequently in nurses and cleaning staff, 50.24% 0 and 33.64% 0 , respectively. Concerning the total percentage of exposure to blood and other body fluids, a slight increase was revealed from 1.48% 0 to 2.62% 0 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant decrease in exposure rate was reported among the doctors between the pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 3.6% 0 and 1.19% 0 at 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant increase in exposure rate was reported among the nurses between pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 0.8% 0 and 6.89% 0 , respectively. Conclusion In conclusion, the exposure to NSSIs during the pandemic period decreased; however, there was no severe difference at pre-pandemic and pandemic periods concerning exposure to blood and body fluids. Well-designed training and awareness programs can be effective in preventing exposure to NSSIs and blood and other body fluids and exposure to respiratory acquired viruses.

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Objective Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a disease with chronic relapses. Risk factors of craving, which is thought to be one of the predictors of relapse, have been studied for a long time. The DRD4 gene is located on chromosome 11p and has a 48-base pair variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphisms in the 3rd exon. This study aimed to investigate if a relationship existed between craving and DRD4 VNTR polymorphism and to determine the predictors of craving. Methods A total of 125 patients with AUD were included in the study. The sociodemographic data form, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), and the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) were applied to the patients. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the DRD4 VNTR variant of all participants in the peripheral blood sample. Results In the 4R/4R homozygous group, it was found that the age at first alcohol use was higher and the scores of the OCDS on the seventh day were lower, but this relationship could not be demonstrated in further statistical analyses. In the stepwise linear regression model, the age at first alcohol use, MAST score, duration of AUD, and delirium tremens history were found to be the predictors of craving. Conclusion DRD4 VNTR polymorphism does not play a role as a predictor of craving. A decrease in age at first alcohol use, an increase in the MAST score, and the presence of delirium tremens were found to be the predictors of craving among the participants of this study.

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