HCV VIREMIA IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACCIDENTAL NEEDLE STICK

Seven hospital workers (nurses) experienced accidental needle stick wi th needles contaminated by blood from chronic hepatitis C patients. HC V-RNA was detected in blood collected from two of these cases within a n extremely short time after the accident, 10 min and 120 min. The two nurses subsequently became negative for HCV-RNA, never tested positiv e for HCV antibody, and never developed acute hepatitis C. HCV viremia can be readily established within an extremely short period of time a fter a HCV-contaminated needle stick accident.