Transmission of hepatitis C in a pharmacologic study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe an outbreak of hepatitis C in a clinical research study.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Tertiary-care hospital.


METHODS
Healthcare workers who volunteered to be subjects in a study of the metabolic effects of inhaled and oral corticosteroids who were unwittingly exposed to hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
Epidemiological investigation and serological analyses.


RESULTS
One chronic carrier of HCV was identified. Four fellow workers volunteering in the studies became infected with HCV, with 96% homology among strains. There was no evidence of spread from infected healthcare workers to patients on whom they had performed arterial punctures (2 of 214 positive, unrelated to each other and to the outbreak strain).


CONCLUSIONS
Infection control standards in clinical research must be maintained vigorously to prevent transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as HCV.
Saginur
R
R
Division of Infectious Diseases, Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Nixon
J
J
Devries
B
B
Bruce
N
N
Carruthers
C
C
Scully
L
L
Berger
R
R
Leech
J
J
Nicolle
L
L
Mackenzie
A
A
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones