Disinfection of Goldmann tonometers after contamination with hepatitis C virus

PURPOSE: To compare methods of disinfecting Goldmann tonometer tips inocula ted with hepatitis C virus. METHODS: Hepatitis C virus was placed on Goldmann tonometer tips, air dried , and then disinfected by dry gauze wipes, isopropyl alcohol wipes, cold wa ter washes, povidone iodine 10% wipes, and hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl a lcohol soaks followed by a cold water wash and dry. Hydrogen peroxide and i sopropyl alcohol disinfection techniques followed the Centers for Disease C ontrol and Prevention guidelines for prevention of possible transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), After disinfection, samples from tonom eter tips were amplified by polymerase chain reaction to quantitate the amo unt of hepatitis C virus RNA remaining. RESULTS: Percentage of hepatitis C virus RNA remaining after disinfection: dry gauze wipes 95.65%, isopropyl alcohol 5-second wipes 88.91%, cold water wash 4.78%, povidone iodine 10% 5-second wipes 0.72%, hydrogen peroxide so ak with cold water wash 0.07%, and isopropyl alcohol soak and cold water wa sh 0.02%. CONCLUSIONS: After inoculation of Goldmann tonometer tips with hepatitis C virus, a 5-minute soak in 3% hydrogen peroxide or 70% isopropyl alcohol fol lowed by washing in cold water resulted in the greatest reduction in hepati tis C virus RNA. (Am J Ophthalmol 2001;131:184-187. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Sc ience Inc. All rights reserved).