[Hepatitis B at a hemodialysis unit: description of an outbreak and control measures]

An outbreak of hepatitis B virus infection in a hemodialysis unit which occurred after the arrival of an antigen carrier is described. During a period of five months, four cases were registered for an incidence of 14.8 percent, compared to 3.2 and 0 percent during preepidemic and postepidemic periods, respectively. There is no national surveillance program for hepatitis B in hemodialysis units in Mexico. We therefore suppose that there is a high frequency of infection among both patients and personnel, causing considerable morbidity, mortality and financial impact. The following article details the established control measures, and emphasizes the importance of implementing a permanent program which includes serological screening, policies for disinfection of machines, dialyzers, and environmental surfaces inside the unit, as well as general precautions for blood and other body fluids. The efficacy of the vaccine in patients and personnel is also discussed.