Lack of seroconversion in a health care worker after polymerase chain reaction-documented acute hepatitis C resulting from a needlestick injury.
We present a case of documented acute hepatitis C that occurred in a health care worker who sustained a needlestick injury while caring for an individual who was infected with both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). According to the findings of third-generation serological assays performed during a follow-up of >1 year, the health care worker, who was treated with interferon-alpha (during weeks 2-6) and ribavirin (during weeks 5-9), did not develop antibodies against HCV, in spite of documentation of an HCV-specific T cell response.
Morand
P
P
Laboratoire de Virologie Structurale et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Grenoble, France. PMorand@chu-grenoble.fr
Dutertre
N
N
Minazzi
H
H
Burnichon
J
J
Pernollet
M
M
Baud
M
M
Zarski
J P
JP
Seigneurin
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000379:methods*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin