[Nosocomial infection with hepatitis C virus(HCV)].
Nosocomial infection with HCV occurs in three ways. 1) Infection from medical personnel to patients is extremely rare, and only one report exists. Medical personnel should be aware of HCV infection status, but HCV-infected medical personnel need not be banned from medical activity. 2) The possibility of infection from patient to medical personnel is always present. The creation of a medical environment in which the possibility of injury from instruments contaminated by blood is eliminated is the most important measure. The probability of infection is estimated to be around 1%, and there are no methods of prevention. Interferon therapy is administered when acute hepatitis C infection develops. 3) Patient to patient infection is thought to have occurred frequently in the past as a result of re-use of syringes for intravenous injections. The most important measure against this occurrence is the strict disposal of disposable syringes.
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St. Marianna University, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000821:virology; D013594:Syringes / Q000821:virology