BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to estimate the annual number of cases of hepatitis C virus transmission from infected patients to uninfected surgeons or nurses due to percutaneous injury during invasive procedures. METHODS: The risk of transmission was estimated using a model involving three probabilities: A, that a health care worker sustains at least one percutaneous injury during a procedure; B, that 1 to 10% of patients are seropositive for hepatitis C virus; and C, that infection by this virus is transmitted to the Health Care Worker after such exposure. Probability A was estimated from the results of 2 French multicentric prospective trials. Probability C was estimated from the results of 9 international prospective studies. A ten-fold decreased risk was assumed for surgeons who wear gloves and use solid-bore suture needles. RESULTS: During a single procedure, the estimated probability of hepatitis C virus transmission from an infected patient to an uninfected surgeon ranged from 4.2x10(-5)% to 4.2x10(-4)%, and from 2.98x10(-6)% to 2.98x10(-5)% to an uninfected nurse. For surgeons, the estimated annual cumulative risk of occupational infection ranged from 0.01% to 0.1% (1 in 10000 to 1 in 1000), and for nurses from 0.0054% to 0.054% (1 in 18700 to 1 in 1900). CONCLUSIONS: Between 2 and 21 surgeons out of a total 20000 are estimated to acquire occupationally-related hepatitis C virus infection, and between 16 and 167 nurses out of a total 300000. These estimates strongly justify introducing preventive measures to protect health care workers from bloodborne infection.
BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to estimate the annual number of cases of hepatitis C virus transmission from infectedpatients to uninfected surgeons or nurses due to percutaneous injury during invasive procedures. METHODS: The risk of transmission was estimated using a model involving three probabilities: A, that a health care worker sustains at least one percutaneous injury during a procedure; B, that 1 to 10% of patients are seropositive for hepatitis C virus; and C, that infection by this virus is transmitted to the Health Care Worker after such exposure. Probability A was estimated from the results of 2 French multicentric prospective trials. Probability C was estimated from the results of 9 international prospective studies. A ten-fold decreased risk was assumed for surgeons who wear gloves and use solid-bore suture needles. RESULTS: During a single procedure, the estimated probability of hepatitis C virus transmission from an infectedpatient to an uninfected surgeon ranged from 4.2x10(-5)% to 4.2x10(-4)%, and from 2.98x10(-6)% to 2.98x10(-5)% to an uninfected nurse. For surgeons, the estimated annual cumulative risk of occupational infection ranged from 0.01% to 0.1% (1 in 10000 to 1 in 1000), and for nurses from 0.0054% to 0.054% (1 in 18700 to 1 in 1900). CONCLUSIONS: Between 2 and 21 surgeons out of a total 20000 are estimated to acquire occupationally-related hepatitis C virus infection, and between 16 and 167 nurses out of a total 300000. These estimates strongly justify introducing preventive measures to protect health care workers from bloodborne infection.
Authors: D Thorburn; D Dundas; E A McCruden; S O Cameron; D J Goldberg; I S Symington; A Kirk; P R Mills Journal: Gut Date: 2001-01 Impact factor: 23.059