Hepatitis C transmission due to contamination of multidose medication vials: Summary of an outbreak and a call to action

In May 2001, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was informed of a cluster of 4 patients treated at an outpatient gastroenterology center who developed acute hepatitis C virus infection. An investigation identified a total of 12 clinic-associated hepatitis C virus transmissions and the outbreak and was traced to unsafe handling of multidose anesthetic vials and possible re-use of contaminated needles. This report typifies the types of outbreaks that continue to occur despite safe injection guidelines. Copyright (C) 2013 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.