Introduction: The study arose out of concern about the transmission ofinfectious diseases through mucocutaneous contact with blood and body fluids. The purpose was to identifythe risk of blood splashes to masks and goggles during cesarean section. Material/Methods: The prospectivestudy spanned 6 months between January and June 1998 to determine the incidence of blood splashes tothe masks and goggles of surgeons, assistants, and scrub nurses. All the doctors and scrub nurses whoparticipated in surgery were requested to wear masks and goggles for all the cesarean section cases duringthe study period. At the end of surgery, the surgeon examined all the masks and goggles for obvious bloodsplashes and documented these in a data sheet. Results: There were 144 cases of cesarean section performedduring the period, of which 13.2% (19) were elective and 86.8% (125) were emergencies. 74.3% (107) ofthe patients registered for antenatal care and delivered in the institution, while 25.7% (37) cases werenot booked but admitted for delivery. The mean age of the parturient and parity were 27.4+/-2.8 yearsand 5.8+/-2.4, respectively. The rate of blood splashes was 62.5% on the surgeons' masks, 63.2% on surgeons'goggles, 35.4% on assistants' masks, 38.9% on assistants' goggles, 11.1% on scrub nurses' masks, and16.0% on scrub nurses' goggles. Conclusions: We therefore recommend the use of masks and protective eyewear as part of routine surgical attire to avoid body fluid contamination that can result in acquiringinfectious diseases.

Keywords: Blood - microbiology, Cesarean Section - adverse effects, Communicable Diseases - transmission, Eye Protective Devices, Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional, Masks, Nigeria, Occupational Exposure - prevention & control, Operating Rooms, Pregnancy, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors