P-476 Skin, Ocular and Oral Damage Following Accidental Exposure to Strong Artificial Uv-C Source: Experimental Design and Clinical Follow-Up

Introduction Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure affects two target organs, skin and eye. New adverse effects were observed in the oral cavity of two healthcare workers after an accidental exposure to a germicidal lamp in hospital pharmacy. After 6-12 hours redness areas appeared on the lips, tip and upper-external surface of the tongue, turned into small painful ulcerations after 24-48 hours and into moderate oral mucositis and glossitis with temporary loss of taste after 8-10 days. Punctate keratopathy, lens opacity and facial rosacea persisted at the 10-year follow-up. Methods An experimental on-the-field study was set up to provide a risk assessment of accidental UVR exposure and quantify the accumulated dose in the oral cavity. An adult manikin was adapted to reproduce real exposure in different postures. Results The oral mucosa was exposed for 30 minutes (half of the time the workers spent at the workstation). The accumulated radiant energy per unit area was greater than the maximum human biologically effective radiant exposure to UVR of eyes and skin within an 8-hour period according to ICNIRP guideline (30 J/m2). A high dose was recorded for the lips (>100 J/m2). Discussion UV-C reaches the epidermis increasing the epithelium photo-damage, also enhanced by the high humidity present in the oral cavity and the absence of the stratum corneum in some areas. Conclusion In addition to primary prevention measures (e.g., personal protective equipment, devices, procedures), specific UV exposure limits for the oral mucosa can be useful for preventing and protecting workers’ health.