[Hepatitis C virus. Iatrogenic and nosocomial transmition?]

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection constitutes an important, worldwide public health problem. Studies about the prevalence of HCV antibodies among surgical patients are few, and the involvement of surgery in the iatrogenic transmission of HCV remains a matter of controversy. Blood transfusions and other medical acts, have contributed to the spreading of HCV among the population. However, some HCV patients do not have antecedents of transfusions which suggest other mechanisms of transmission such as surgical acts, that continue facilitating the viral transmission. Some studies find an association between previous hospitalizations and the HCV infection, others report that such association does not exist. Several investigations suggest that the HCV infection risk does not reside in the surgery, but in the use of multidose containers, anesthetic products, saline solution, etc., administered during surgery. In Venezuela, the HCV overall prevalence is 1%. However, in poli-transfused, hemodialized or surgical patients is 10-22%. The studies carried out in surgery units, support the idea that surgical acts are not involved in the HCV spreading, although they can be responsible for this transmission in specific occasions. The HCV transmission due to surgical acts can happen in particular contexts of the sanitary environment and the study of this relationship is essential to adopt preventive measures that can help to eradicate or decrease this problem.