Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T21:53:12.795Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Pseudo-Outbreak of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Associated With Contamination of a Semiautomatic Cap Remover

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Bram M. W. Diederen*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Carlo Verhulst
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
Annemarie van't Veen
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Peter H. J. van Keulen
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
Jan A. J. W. Kluytmans
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
*
Laboratory of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, PO Box 747, 5000 AS Tilburg, The Netherlands ([email protected])

Abstract

A pseudo-outbreak of hepatitis B virus caused by cross-contamination from a semiautomatic cap remover for blood collection tubes is reported. The source of the outbreak was elucidated by using basic epidemiological methods. Laboratories should always be critical about their results in order to identify contamination problems.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Mahoney, FJ. Update on diagnosis, management, and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. Clin Microbiol Rev 1999; 12:351366.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Smith, J, Osikowicz, G, Tyai, R, et al. Abbott AxSYM random and continuous access immunoassay system for improved workflow in the clinical laboratory. Clin Chem 1993; 39:20632069.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Cunha, BA. Pseudoinfections and pseudo-outbreaks. In: Mayhall, GC, ed. Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2004:124133.Google Scholar
4. Weinstein, RA, Stamm, WE. Pseudoepidemics in hospital. Lancet 1977; 2:862864.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Laurel, VL, Meier, PA, Astorga, A, Dolan, D, Brockett, R, Rinaldi, MG. Pseudoepidemic of Aspergillus niger infections traced to specimen contamination in the microbiology laboratory. J Clin Microbiol 1999; 37:16121616.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Cunha, BA, Klein, NC. Pseudoinfections. Infect Dis Clin Prac 1995; 4:95103.Google Scholar