Two healthcare-associated transmissions of hepatitis C occurred in the U.S. during routine surgeries in recent years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: one in New Jersey in 2010 and another in Wisconsin in 2011.
Research into the incidences showed the transmissions "likely resulted from breaches of infection prevention practices," according to the CDC.
In New Jersey, a patient underwent a routine procedure in March and started experiencing hepatitis C symptoms one month later. An investigation showed the patient received an injection of propofol from the same cart as a patient who had hepatitis C. In Wisconsin, two patients, one of whom had hepatitis C, received kidneys at the same hospital that were prepared on the same perfusion machine.
Both facilities made changes after the transmission. The New Jersey facility revised its policies and procedures for stocking, assigning and cleaning its anesthesia carts and started tracking medication vials. Also, all anesthesiologists had to attend infection prevention training. The Wisconsin hospital purchased a second kidney perfusion machine.
"These two cases are reminders of the small amount of hepatitis C virus that is necessary to cause infection and the importance of proper sterilization and handling of all dental and medical equipment at all times, especially amid a national epidemic of viral hepatitis with no vaccine for hepatitis C," Marc Siegel, MD, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told HealthDay.
The CDC agrees, as the report states, "Continuing training of all patient-care personnel and review of policies and procedures to ensure that equipment and supplies within and between procedure rooms are adequately cleaned and disinfected are important measures to optimize infection control and injection safety practices in healthcare settings."