Agent |
Observed effects |
Potentially exposed workers |
Preventative measures |
Cytomegalo- virus (CMV) |
Birth defects, low birth weight, developmental disorders |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Good hygienic practices such as handwashing |
Hepatitis B virus |
Low birth weight |
Health care workers |
Vaccination |
Human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) |
Low birth weight, childhood cancer |
Health care workers |
Practice universal precautions |
Human parvovirus B19 |
Miscarriage |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Good hygienic practices such as handwashing |
Rubella (German measles) |
Birth defects, low birth weight |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Vaccination before pregnancy if no prior immunity |
Toxoplasmosis |
Miscarriage, birth defects, developmental disorders |
Animal care workers, veterinarians |
Good hygiene practices such as handwashing |
Varicella-zoster virus (chicken pox) |
Birth defects, low birth weight |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Vaccination before pregnancy if no prior immunity |