A study published in the online edition of the
Journal of the Royal Society Interface has been exploring the likelihood
that vCJD might be spread via the reuse of surgical instruments, and
calls for more data in order to allay fears over the possible transmission
of vCJD.
The number of vCJD cases continues to decline, and it is believed
that most cases to date are the result of consumption of BSE-infected
beef. There were 161 recorded cases by the end of 2005, and the annual
incidence has been steadily decreasing since 2000, with estimates for
the total scale of the epidemic through this route now lie in the low
hundreds.
However, concern has been raised that transmission could, in theory,
occur directly from one person to another via routes such as blood
transfusions and surgical operations, despite instruments being decontaminated
routinely before being used. Scientists based at both the London School
of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob
Disease Surveillance Unit at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh
decided to explore this possibility.
The results, published online today by the Journal of the Royal Society
Interface, show that key factors determining the scale of any epidemic
are the number of times a single instrument is re-used, combined with
how infectious contaminated instruments are and how effective the cleaning
is.
The authors begin by presenting data on the surgical procedures undertaken
on vCJD patients prior to the onset of clinical symptoms which support
the hypothesis that cases via this route are possible. They then apply
a mathematical framework to assess the potential for self-sustaining
epidemics via surgical procedures.
They conclude that further research is needed into how surgical instruments
are used so as to reduce uncertainty and assess the potential risk
of this transmission route.
They comment:
" Given the frequency of high- and medium-risk surgical
procedures undertaken in the UK, a range of plausible scenarios suggest
that surgical procedures could provide a potential route for a self-sustaining
epidemic of vCJD. A first step to reducing the current uncertainty
in the potential for self-sustaining transmission via surgery would
be to survey the frequency with which different instruments are used,
particularly those used on high-infectivity procedures. Also, tracking
of surgical instruments should be improved, so that, at the very least,
instruments are not re-used once the infection status of a patient
is known".
News
is included on the IvyRose website to inform visitors about current
health issues, but not to endorse
any particular view
or activity. The views stated in the article above are not
necessarily those of IvyRose Ltd.. Material in this news item was released
by London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine (England, UK) on 2 August 2006 and
may have been edited (e.g. in style, length, and/or for
ease
of
understanding
by our international readers) for
inclusion
here.
For further information, please visit their website using
the link below. |
