Hand contamination with hepatitis C virus in staff looking after hepatitisC-positive hemodialysis patients

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of hepatitis in hemodi alysis (HD) patients. Routes other than blood transfusion play a role in th e spread of HCV in HD patients, Molecular studies of HCV implicate nosocomi al transmission of the virus in HD units. We con ducted a clinicovirologica l study in our HD unit to investigate if the hands of dialysis personnel co uld represent a mode of transmission of HCV among HD patients. Methods: One liter of sterile water was used for each handwashing of dialysis personnel , The washing was collected in a sterile container and tested for HCV-RNA b y polymerase chain reaction (PCR) within 3 h of collection. Eighty handwash ings from nurses dialyzing HCV-positive patients (groupe A) and 100 handwas hing from nurses dialyzing HCV-negative patients (group B) were tested for HCV-RNA, As a control, 60 handwashings were collected from the dialysis per sonnel before entering the dialysis unit (group C) and tested for HCV-RNA, Results: HCV-RNA was positive in 19 (23.75%) of samples of group A, in 8 (8 %) of samples of group B (p < 0.003) and in 2 (3.3%) of samples of group C (p < 0.35), These two positive samples of group C were from nurses who had dialyzed HCV-negative patients, Conclusion: These results indicate the pres ence of HCV-RNA on the hands of some dialysis personnel in our HD unit, in spite of adherence to the standard precautions. The hands of dialysis perso nnel are therefore a potential mode for facilitating transmission of HCV be tween HD patients. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.