Accidental needlestick injuries and syringe reuse cause millions of exposures annually to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and many other bloodborne diseases. Ironically, many of these exposures occur in a healthcare setting.

• Accidental needlestick injuries to frontline healthcare workers are estimated to occur at a rate of about 800,000 a year in the United States alone, and they often transmit bloodborne diseases from patient to caregiver.
• There are more than 20 bloodborne pathogens that can be transmitted by an accidental needlestick injury or syringe reuse. These include HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.