Potential for HIV transmission via blood glucose monitoring devices.
Int Conf AIDS 1989 Jun 4-9; 5:177 (abstract no. A.602) Shalit P, Brennan C, Murphy V, Hooton T; University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
We are following a 43 year old HIV-positive insulin-dependent diabetic woman whose only known exposure to HIV was from vaginal intercourse with her HIV-positive bisexual husband. The woman indicated to us that since 1981 she has screened family members, friends, and relatives for diabetes by performing fingerstick glucose determinations on them. She would routinely use a single disposable lancet to draw blood from several individuals in rapid succession, after pricking herself, without wiping the lancet. Four family members who had shared a lancet with our patient during the past year have been screened and are HIV-negative. We found that packaging material of the lancets used by our patient contain no warning labels against sharing lancets. A local survey of 3 brands of lancets and 3 brands of lancet holders indicated that only 1 brand had labels warning about potential transmission of diseases with the devices. We also found no warning labels on some brands of insulin syringes. Diabetic equipment such as lancets and syringes represent a potential mode of transmission for HIV and other blood-borne pathogens. We speculate that the practice of sharing used lancets as demonstrated by our patient, a well-educated middle socio-economic class woman, may be more common among diabetics than is generally recognized. Physicians and diabetic educators should educate their diabetic patients about the proper use of lancets and syringes and appropriate warning labels should be required on these products.
Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, HIV Infections, Syringes, Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent, Diabetes Mellitus, Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring, Bisexuality, Blood-Borne Pathogens, Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent, HIV Seropositivity, Human, Female, transmission, blood, ICA5
