NOSOCOMIAL TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS

The nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C involving three subjects pa rticipating in a research project in a Swedish hospital is described. One person contracted acute hepatitis C and another participant had an asymptomatic seroconversion. A temporal relationship between particip ation in the experiments and seroconversion for hepatitis C, and virol ogy with phylogenetic analyses, suggest that they most probably contra cted hepatitis C from a third subject who unknowingly had chronic hepa titis C. Faulty nursing and procedural routines were identified as the probable cause of the transmission. Our findings reinforce the need f or medical personnel to strictly adhere to universal precautions worke d out to prevent the transmission of blood-borne viruses and underline the importance of a continuous supervision of nursing and procedural routines, even in hospitals with well-educated staff and presumably hi gh standards.