Hand contamination with hepatitis C virus in staff looking after hepatitis C-positive hemodialysis patients

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of hepatitis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Routes other than blood transfusion play a role in the spread of HCV in HD patients, Molecular studies of HCV implicate nosocomial transmission of the virus in HD units. We con ducted a clinicovirological study in our HD unit to investigate if the hands of dialysis personnel could represent a mode of transmission of HCV among HD patients. Methods: One liter of sterile water was used for each handwashing of dialysis personnel, The washing was collected in a sterile container and tested for HCV-RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) within 3 h of collection. Eighty handwashings from nurses dialyzing HCV-positive patients (groupe A) and 100 handwashing from nurses dialyzing HCV-negative patients (group B) were tested for HCV-RNA, As a control, 60 handwashings were collected from the dialysis personnel before entering the dialysis unit (group C) and tested for HCV-RNA, Results: HCV-RNA was positive in 19 (23.75%) of samples of group A, in 8 (8%) of samples of group B (p < 0.003) and in 2 (3.3%) of samples of group C (p < 0.35), These two positive samples of group C were from nurses who had dialyzed HCV-negative patients, Conclusion: These results indicate the presence of HCV-RNA on the hands of some dialysis personnel in our HD unit, in spite of adherence to the standard precautions. The hands of dialysis personnel are therefore a potential mode for facilitating transmission of HCV between HD patients. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.