A study on the possibility of infection from cadavers

Abstract

It cannot be overlooked that the outflow of body fluid from cadavers may cause infection.Workers in the funeral industry are therefore at the risk of infection. The purpose of this study isto clarify and set hypothesis on the kind of risks of infection from cadavers. In addition, we investigatewhat problems in relation to infection funeral workers have in their daily work. We investigated six funeral companies from January to March 2004. Data were collected byinterviewing funeral workers about problems in infection prevention, employee's health care andthe possibility of infection from cadavers. Next, we analyzed obtained contents by the KJ Method. We have extracted four categories by the KJ method: 1) the actual situation of funeral workand the adopted measures for infection prevention, 2) the risk of infection, 3) the lack of providinginformation from medical workers and 4) knowledge and approaches concerning the infectionof funeral workers. We suggested the possibility that funeral workers might be exposed to infection through contactto the body fluid from cadavers. Five hypotheses were derived from the results. 1) The bodyfluid from cadavers may be sufficient to infection. 2) Funeral workers have the danger of infectionfrom cadavers. 3) Funeral workers have insufficient knowledge concerning infection from cadavers.4) Providing information on infection to the funeral workers is necessary. 5) Nursesmight not be effectively stopping the body fluid by "mortuary care".