title: Risk of nosocomial infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus III (HTLV-III).
abstract: Infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus III (HTLV-III) is closely linked to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We evaluated the risk of nosocomial infection with HTLV-III by testing for antibodies to HTLV-III among hospital employees, including victims of needle-stick exposure, endoscopists, pathologists, and laboratory workers. Assays for antibody against the virus were performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and electrophoretic (Western blot) techniques. Although all 22 of our patients with AIDS and 6 of 7 with AIDS-related complex were found to have antibodies to HTLV-III when both assays were employed, none of the 85 employees with nosocomial exposure to specimens from patients with AIDS were positive for HTLV-III antibody. These studies must be regarded as preliminary, but they suggest that when current hospital isolation procedures are employed, the risk of nosocomial transmission of HTLV-III is low.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wormser
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Schooley
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Felsenstein
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joline
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Duncanson
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sarngadharan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saxinger
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001900:Boston; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission*; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004724:Endoscopy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D009518:New York; D010336:Pathology; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011677:Punctures; D012108:Research Personnel; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral