[Hepatitis C outbreak in an oncology ward].
BACKGROUND
Study of an outbreak of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.


METHODS
Case-control study. Odds ratios for various risk factors were studied in patients with acute hepatitis C and an appropriate control group.


RESULTS
Seven cases and 46 controls were included. Implantation of a central catheter was found to be an independent risk factor for hepatitis C (OR=35; 95% CI: 16.0-62.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Inadequate manipulation of central catheters with heparinized saline solution, which was likely to be HCV-contaminated, caused the outbreak.
Rodríguez-Caravaca
Gil
G
Unidad de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Madrid, España. grodriguez@fhalcorcon.es
Villar-del-Campo
María Concepción
MC
Casas-Losada
María Luisa
ML
Cava-Valenciano
Fernando
F
Gil-de-Miguel
Angel
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006493:Heparin