Acute effects from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs in a para‐professional health care worker

Background While health risks from occupational exposure of nursing and pharmacy staff have been recognized, exposure of para‐professional health care workers (HCW) has received little attention. Methods This case report describes a patient care assistant who developed allergic reactions subsequent to exposure to urine of oncology patients who had been treated with antineoplastics. Results The patient care assistant on two occasions developed a pruritic, disseminated rash shortly after emptying commodes containing the urine of oncology patients treated with Vincristine and Adriamycin (doxorubicin). Conclusions Increased attention should be focused on the occupational exposures of para‐professional HCWs to potentially hazardous antineoplastics. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:107–109, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.