Cingles Info

Bleach Disinfection of Syringes May Prevent HCV Infection Among Drug Users
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Nov 13 - Washing syringes in bleach may help prevent
hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among injection drug users, according to the
findings of a nested case-control study. Dr. Farzana Kapadia, from the New York
Academy of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed data from 78 anti-HCV
seroconverters and 390 persistently anti-HCV seronegative injection drug users
to determine the effect of bleach syringe
disinfection on seroconversion. The researchers' findings are published in the
November issue of Epidemiology.
Injection drug users who said they always washed syringes with bleach were 65%
less likely to become infected with HCV than were those who reported never using
bleach. Subjects who reported occasional syringe disinfection
with bleach were 24% less likely to become infected than were those who reported
not using bleach. The protective effect of bleach use was not weakened after
controlling for
most factors associated with anti-HCV seroconversion, the authors state. "Given
the efficiency of HCV transmission and the reluctance of newer, younger
injectors to self-identify their needs or to utilize available services,
risk-reduction options such as syringe disinfection using bleach
should not be discounted," the researchers emphasize.
"Disinfecting syringes with bleach, which is inexpensive and readily available,
merits consideration for further investigation in prevention studies of HCV
infection, in both laboratory and field trials," Dr. Kapadia's team notes.
Epidemiology 2002;13:738-741.
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