Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology Publication Info
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Nosocomial Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Associated With the Use of Multidose Saline Vials
Formats Available in JSTOR: PDF
Abstract(back to top)
OBJECTIVE. To identify the source of an outbreak of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among 3 patients occurring within 8 weeks of hospitalization in the same ward of a Florida hospital during November 1998.
DESIGN. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 41 patients hospitalized between November 11 and 19, 1998. Patients’ blood was tested for antibodies to HCV, and HCV RNA–positive samples were genotyped and sequenced.
RESULTS. Of the 41 patients, 24 (59%) participated in the study. HCV genotype 1b infections were found in 5 patients. Three of 4 patients who received saline flushes from a multidose saline vial on November 16 had acute HCV infection, whereas none of the 9 patients who did not receive saline flushes had HCV infection (P = .01). No other significant exposures were identified. The HCV sequence was available for 1 case of acute HCV and differed by a single nucleotide (0.3%) from that of the indeterminate case.
CONCLUSION. This outbreak of HCV probably occurred when a multidose saline vial was contaminated with blood from an HCV‐infected patient. Hospitals should emphasize adherence to standard procedures to prevent blood‐borne infections. In addition, the use of single‐dose vials or prefilled saline syringes might further reduce the risk for nosocomial transmission of blood‐borne pathogens.
Bibliographic Information(back to top)
- Nosocomial Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Associated With the Use of Multidose Saline Vials
- Gérard Krause , MD, DrMed, Mary Jo Trepka , MD, MPH, Robert S. Whisenhunt, Dolly Katz , PhD, Omana Nainan , PhD, Steven T. Wiersma , MD, MPH and Richard S. Hopkins , MD, MSc
- Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
- Vol. 24, No. 2 (February 2003) (pp. 122-127)
Notes and References(back to top)
This item contains 1 note(s).
Notes
Dr. Krause is from the Epidemic Intelligence Service, State Branch, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Drs. Krause, Katz, Wiersma, and Hopkins are from the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Trepka and Mr. Whisenhunt are from the Miami‐Dade County Health Department, Miami, Florida. Dr. Nainan is from the Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Address reprint requests to Gérard Krause, Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch‐Institut, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany. The authors thank the staff of the hospital and the patients for cooperating in the investigation as well as the following staff at the Miami‐Dade County Health Department: Letty Bassart, Miguel Cruz, Marc Diamante, and Jorge Hermida. The authors also thank Dr. Beth Bell, Dr. William Jarvis, Dr. Andrew Pelletier, and Dr. Ian Williams for their support.
Items Citing this Item (back to top)
5 item(s) in JSTOR cite this item
- Nicola D. Thompson , PhD; Ryan T. Novak , PhD; Deblina Datta , MD; Susanne Cotter , MBBS; Matthew J. Arduino , DRPH; Priti R. Patel , MD; Ian T. Williams , PhD; Stephanie R. Bialek , MDVol. 30, No. 9 (September 2009) pp. 900-903Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/605472
- David K. Henderson , MDVol. 29, No. 4 (April 2008) pp. 294-296Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/587440
- N. Fisker, N. L. T. Carlsen, H. J. Kolmos, L. Tønning-Sørensen, A. Høst, P. B. ChristensenVol. 332, No. 7537 (Feb. 11, 2006) pp. 343-345Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25456105
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- R. Dawn Comstock , PhD; Sue Mallonee , RN, MPH; Jan L. Fox , RN; Ronald L. Moolenaar , MD, MPH; Tara M. Vogt , PhD; Joseph F. Perz , DrPH; Beth P. Bell , MD, MPH; James M. Crutcher , MD, MPHVol. 25, No. 7 (July 2004) pp. 576-583Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/502442