Nosocomial hepatitis C in a thoracic surgery unit; retrospective findings generating a prospective study
(2008) In Journal of Hospital Infection 68(4). p.322-328- Abstract
- We describe the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to two patients from a thoracic surgeon who was unaware of his hepatitis C infection. By partial sequencing of the non-structural 5B gene and phylogenetic analysis, the viruses from both patients were found to be closely related to genotype la strain from the surgeon. Two further hepatitis C cases were found in relation to the thoracic clinic. Their HCV sequences were related to each other but were of genotype 2b and the source of infection was never revealed. To elucidate the magnitude of the problem, we conducted a prospective study for a period of 17 months in which patients who were about to undergo thoracic surgery were asked to participate. Blood samples were drawn prior to... (More)
- We describe the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to two patients from a thoracic surgeon who was unaware of his hepatitis C infection. By partial sequencing of the non-structural 5B gene and phylogenetic analysis, the viruses from both patients were found to be closely related to genotype la strain from the surgeon. Two further hepatitis C cases were found in relation to the thoracic clinic. Their HCV sequences were related to each other but were of genotype 2b and the source of infection was never revealed. To elucidate the magnitude of the problem, we conducted a prospective study for a period of 17 months in which patients who were about to undergo thoracic surgery were asked to participate. Blood samples were drawn prior to surgery and at least four months later. The postoperative samples were then screened for anti-HCV and, if positive, the initial sample was also analysed. The only two patients (0.4%) identified were confirmed anti-HCV positive before surgery, and none out of 456 evaluable cases seroconverted to anti-HCV during the observation period. Despite the retrospectively identified cases, nosocomial hepatitis C is rare in our thoracic unit. The study points out the risk of transmission of hepatitis C from infected personnel and reiterates the need for universal precautions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1204638
- author
- Cardell, K ; Widell, Anders LU ; Fryden, A ; Akerlind, B ; Månsson, Ann-Sofie LU ; Franzen, S ; Lymer, U -B and Isaksson, B
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- nosocomial hepatitis C, thoracic surgery
- in
- Journal of Hospital Infection
- volume
- 68
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 322 - 328
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000255548700006
- scopus:41549088668
- pmid:18294726
- ISSN
- 0195-6701
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jhin.2007.12.008
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- f2790420-1c00-4959-8b0f-bb4695f57117 (old id 1204638)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:14:18
- date last changed
- 2022-03-21 17:28:23
@article{f2790420-1c00-4959-8b0f-bb4695f57117,
abstract = {{We describe the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to two patients from a thoracic surgeon who was unaware of his hepatitis C infection. By partial sequencing of the non-structural 5B gene and phylogenetic analysis, the viruses from both patients were found to be closely related to genotype la strain from the surgeon. Two further hepatitis C cases were found in relation to the thoracic clinic. Their HCV sequences were related to each other but were of genotype 2b and the source of infection was never revealed. To elucidate the magnitude of the problem, we conducted a prospective study for a period of 17 months in which patients who were about to undergo thoracic surgery were asked to participate. Blood samples were drawn prior to surgery and at least four months later. The postoperative samples were then screened for anti-HCV and, if positive, the initial sample was also analysed. The only two patients (0.4%) identified were confirmed anti-HCV positive before surgery, and none out of 456 evaluable cases seroconverted to anti-HCV during the observation period. Despite the retrospectively identified cases, nosocomial hepatitis C is rare in our thoracic unit. The study points out the risk of transmission of hepatitis C from infected personnel and reiterates the need for universal precautions.}},
author = {{Cardell, K and Widell, Anders and Fryden, A and Akerlind, B and Månsson, Ann-Sofie and Franzen, S and Lymer, U -B and Isaksson, B}},
issn = {{0195-6701}},
keywords = {{nosocomial hepatitis C; thoracic surgery}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{322--328}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Hospital Infection}},
title = {{Nosocomial hepatitis C in a thoracic surgery unit; retrospective findings generating a prospective study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2007.12.008}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jhin.2007.12.008}},
volume = {{68}},
year = {{2008}},
}