Transmission of hepatitis C virus by needle-stick injury in community settings

  1. Paul S Haber1,*,
  2. Margaret M Young5,
  3. Lloyd Dorrington5,
  4. Andrew Jones5,
  5. John Kaldor2,
  6. Sophie De Kanzow3,
  7. William D Rawlinson3,4

Article first published online: 8 AUG 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04568.x

Issue

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Volume 22, Issue 11, pages 1882–1885, November 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Haber, P. S., Young, M. M., Dorrington, L., Jones, A., Kaldor, J., De Kanzow, S. and Rawlinson, W. D. (2007), Transmission of hepatitis C virus by needle-stick injury in community settings. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 22: 1882–1885. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04568.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Discipline of Medicine, University of Sydney,

  2. 2

    National Center for HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, School of Community Medicine and Public Health, University of New South Wales,

  3. 3

    Virology Division, Department of Microbiology SEALS, Prince of Wales Hospital, and

  4. 4

    School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, and

  5. 5

    South Coast Public Health Unit, Southport, Queensland, Australia

*Associate Professor Paul Haber, Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Email: phaber@mail.usyd.edu.au

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 OCT 2007
  2. Article first published online: 8 AUG 2006
  3. Accepted for publication 7 April 2006.

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Keywords:

  • hepatitis C virus;
  • needle stick;
  • polymerase chain reaction;
  • transmission

Abstract

Background:  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is predominantly transmitted by blood-to-blood contact, typically by sharing of needles by injecting drug users. Discarded needles could act as a vector for transmission of this infection.

Methods:  Two cases of HCV seroconversion following a needle-stick injury in a community setting were identified. The effects of specimen processing and storage conditions on detection of HCV RNA were assessed to provide information about the likelihood of discarded needles containing infectious HCV.

Results:  Consistent with a role for discarded needles in viral transmission, in vitro studies demonstrated that viral load declined by less than one log following storage for 24 h.

Conclusion:  All needle-stick injuries should be promptly investigated by serology and HCV-PCR.

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