CDC NATIONAL AIDS HOTLINE TRAINING BULLETIN #15 - August 7, 1992
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1. What is this MMWR article about?

This is a report about patients who accidently received blood from other patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during nuclear medicine procedures.

2. What are nuclear medicine procedures?

Nuclear medicine procedures are used to diagnose or treat medical problems by giving a patient a small amount of radioactive material by intravenous injection (injection into a vein), inhalation (breathing in an aerosol), or oral ingestion (swallowing a liquid or pill). Occasionally, when these materials are given by injection, this involves withdrawing blood from the patient, treating it with the radioactive material, and reinjecting it into the same patient. Patients receive their own blood; this is not a transfusion. Most nuclear medicine procedures do not involve withdrawing or injecting blood, even if intravenous injections are used. When the procedure is done by the other two methods, inhalation or oral ingestion, there is no risk of coming in contact with blood.

3. What agency regulates nuclear medicine procedures in hospitals?

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is the federal agency responsible for regulating and monitoring nuclear medicine procedures in hospitals and clinics. Some states have their own regulatory agency, but their rules must be similar to the NRC rules.

4. Whom should I contact if I have undergone any nuclear medicine procedures? Should I be worried?

Your personal physician will know whether you have had any nuclear medicine procedures involving withdrawing and reinjecting blood. Errors are rare when performing nuclear medicine procedures; the recommendations in this article are common recommendations that are part of the routine policy and procedures for institutions and clinics that perform these procedures.

5. What is my risk of becoming infected with HIV in any hospital setting?

The risk of becoming infected with HIV in the hospital is extremely rare. All hospitals in the U.S. have standard policies and procedures (Universal Precautions), and when these procedures are followed they should prevent the transmission of HIV to patients and health care workers in the hospital.

6. How can I find out if my hospital is performing correct nuclear medicine procedures?

If you have any questions about a procedure, you can ask your doctor or the person performing the procedure.

7. If accidents happened in three separate hospital nuclear medicine departments, could accidents be occurring in other departments?

It is possible that accidents occur in other hospitals, but this is thought to happen rarely.

8. Are these three persons the only cases?

These are the 3 cases that CDC is aware of. Two of these cases occurred in the U.S. and the third in the Netherlands. CDC is asking that incidents of possible transmission of bloodborne diseases be reported to CDC through local and state health departments.

9. How could these accidents have been prevented?

If personnel performing nuclear medicine procedures are aware of and follow the recommend procedures, there is no risk of transmitting HIV or other bloodborne diseases.

10. What is the next step in the investigation?

CDC is asking that any case of possible transmission of a bloodborne infection to a patient be reported to local and state health departments.

11. Whom can I contact for more information on HIV infection and AIDS?

The CDC National AIDS Hotline (1-800-342-2437) has trained information specialists to answer questions or provide referrals on HIV infection and AIDS. If you wish to receive a free copy of the August 7, 1992, MMWR, please call them or write to the CDC National Prevention Information Network, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, Maryland 20849-6003.

DISTRIBUTED BY AEGIS, your online gateway to a world of people, information, and resources. 714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex * v.34.
920807
CDC00015