Anonymous pilot study of hepatitis C virus prevalence in liver transplant surgeons

The risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission to surgeons is related to the HCV prevalence in the surgical patient population. As HCV-related cirrhosis is the commonest indication for liver transplantation in Europe and North America, liver transplant surgeons are at particular risk. The prevalence of HCV infection in liver transplant surgeons is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HCV infection in liver transplant surgeons attending the 9th Congress of the International Liver Transplantation Society using unlinked anonymous testing for HCV. Surgeons attending the conference were invited to complete an anonymised questionnaire regarding their surgical and transplant practice and provide an unlinked anonymised blood spot sample by finger prick. Samples were screened for antibodies to HCV (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay III, Ortho Diagnostics, Raritan, NJ). Polymerase chain reaction testing for HCV RNA was performed on reactive samples.A total of 117 liver transplant surgeons (79 European, 16 North American, 10 Asian, 9 South American, 3 Australasian) provided a blood spot sample. Two (1.7%) surgeons had antibodies to HCV, 1 (0.8%) had detectable HCV RNA (genotype 1a). Assuming that both infections were acquired during surgery, the estimated maximum rate of HCV transmission is 1 per 743 to 1,045 years of surgical (0.96 to 1.35 HCV transmissions per 1,000 years of general surgical practice) and 449 to 683 years of liver transplant practice (1.46 to 2.23 HCV transmissions per 1,000 years of liver transplantation practice). In conclusion, risk of HCV transmission to liver transplant surgeons appears to be low despite the particular risks associated with frequently operating on HCV infected patients.