Nosocomial Hepatitis A

Editorials1 September 1985Nosocomial Hepatitis ARICHARD A. GOODMAN, M.D., M.P.H.RICHARD A. GOODMAN, M.D., M.P.H.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-103-3-452 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptNosocomial hepatitis B is a well-recognized problem, but acute-care hospitals generally have been considered unlikely settings for the transmission of hepatitis A (1, 2). Several recent reports and presentations, however, suggest that nosocomially acquired hepatitis A may occur more often than previously appreciated (3-12). These reports underscore the need for health care workers, especially those in the hospital setting, to practice rigorous infection-control techniques, particularly handwashing. Rational approaches to the prevention of nosocomial hepatitis A can be facilitated by understanding why this problem occurs infrequently, assessing the implications of findings emerging from epidemiologic investigations of the recent hospital-associated outbreaks, and...References1. FAVEROMAYNARDLEGERGRAHAMDIXON MJRDR. Guidelines for the care of patients hospitalized with viral hepatitis. Ann Intern Med. 1979;91:872-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. MAYNARD J. Nosocomial viral hepatitis. Am J Med. 1981;70:439-44. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. ORENSTEINWUEWILKINS WEJ. Hospital-acquired hepatitis A: report of an outbreak. Pediatrics. 1981;67:494-7. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. RHAMEVAN DRUNENCAMERONOSTERHOLM FNSM. An outbreak of nosocomial hepatitis A. In: Program and Abstracts: Eighth Annual Conference of the Association of Practitioners in Infection Control. Atlanta, Georgia: Association of Practitioners in Infection Control; 1981. Google Scholar5. SEEBERGBRANDBERGSVANTELARSSONLUNDGREN SAHPS. 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