The case occurred despite apparent adherence to standard infection control measures and vaccination of nearly all healthcare personnel.
Most hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are acquired through sexual transmission, vertical transmission, or intravenous drug use. However, HBV is also a potential nosocomial pathogen. In this report, investigators describe the transmission of HBV from one patient to another in an oral surgery center in New Mexico.
A 60-year-old woman with no identifiable risk factors for HBV acquisition developed acute infection approximately 4 months after having seven teeth extracted. Investigators quickly identified all patients seen at the oral surgery center in the same week as the index patient and compared this list to the HBV registry maintained by the state Department of Health. This process led to the identification of an HBV-infected patient who h…