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In 2011 alone, approximately 16,500 new cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were reported in the U.S. Nosocomial transmission due to breaches in infection control have been documented previously. Now, researchers have analyzed two separate, unrelated cases associated with surgical procedures.
The first case occurred in New Jersey in 2010. A healthcare worker underwent uterine dilatation and curettage on March 9, and on April 14 she presented with jaundice and anorexia. Acute HCV infection, revealed by enzyme immunoassay testing, was confirmed by a nucleic acid amplification test. Extensive epidemiologic investigation showed the likely source to be an HCV-positive patient who had undergone surgery at the same facility earlier the same …