title: Revision of the anaesthetic aspects of an infection control policy following reporting of hepatitis C nosocomial infection.
abstract: Following the report by the N.S.W. Health Department of five cases of nosocomial hepatitis C infection allegedly caused by contaminated circuitry, a revision of the existing infection control policy was undertaken. Review of the existing policies of other organizations and the published scientific data in this area was the basis of the revision. The final policy as it pertains to anaesthesia requires universal precautions, disposal or decontamination and high level disinfection of instruments and apparatus that come into contact with patients or blood or body substances and protection of the breathing circuit by a filter with disposal or high-level disinfection of all parts of the circuit not so protected for every patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Knoblanche
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000295:instrumentation; D001769:Blood; D001826:Body Fluids; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D004203:Disinfection; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation; D006291:Health Policy; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D009517:New South Wales; D011635:Public Health Administration; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation; D013242:Sterilization; D016635:Universal Precautions