Disinfection of Goldmann tonometers after contamination with hepatitis C virus.

OBJECTIVE

To compare methods of disinfecting Goldmann tonometer tips inoculated with hepatitis C virus.

METHODS

Hepatitis C virus was placed on Goldmann tonometer tips, air dried, and then disinfected by dry gauze wipes, isopropyl alcohol wipes, cold water washes, povidone iodine 10% wipes, and hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol soaks followed by a cold water wash and dry. Hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol disinfection techniques followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for prevention of possible transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). After disinfection, samples from tonometer tips were amplified by polymerase chain reaction to quantitate the amount of hepatitis C virus RNA remaining.

RESULTS

Percentage of hepatitis C virus RNA remaining after disinfection: dry gauze wipes 95.65%, isopropyl alcohol 5-second wipes 88.91%, cold water wash 4.78%, povidone iodine 10% 5-second wipes 0.72%, hydrogen peroxide soak with cold water wash 0.07%, and isopropyl alcohol soak and cold water wash 0.02%.

CONCLUSIONS

After inoculation of Goldmann tonometer tips with hepatitis C virus, a 5-minute soak in 3% hydrogen peroxide or 70% isopropyl alcohol followed by washing in cold water resulted in the greatest reduction in hepatitis C virus RNA.