Risk Of Developing Liver Cancer After HCV Treatment

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Preventing Disease Transmission in Dental Settings

CDC Expert Commentary
Preventing Disease Transmission in Dental Settings

Infection Transmission in Dental Healthcare

Reports of transmission of infectious agents between patients and dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) in dental settings are rare. However, a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) article in the Journal of the American Dental Association[1] identified three published reports describing the transmission of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in dental settings since 2003. In addition, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report[2]—published April 8, 2016—described a 2015 outbreak of Mycobacterium abscessus infection at a pediatric dentistry practice.

In most cases, investigators have failed to link a specific lapse of infection prevention and control practice with a particular transmission. However, reported breakdowns in basic infection prevention practices included unsafe injection practices, failure to heat-sterilize dental handpieces between patients, failure to monitor (eg, conduct spore testing of) autoclaves, and failure to maintain dental unit waterlines. These reports highlight the need to improve understanding of and

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