Quantification of HIV-1 viral RNA in the blood in needles used for venous puncture in HIV-infected individuals

Introduction: Occupational HIV infection among healthcare workers is an important issue in exposures involving blood and body fluids. There are few data in the literature regarding the potential and the duration of infectivity of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) in contaminated material under adverse conditions. Methods: We quantified HIV-1 viral RNA in 25x8mm calibre hollow-bore needles, after punctures, in 25 HIV-1-infected patients selected during the sample collection. All of the patients selected were between the ages of 18 and 55. Five samples were collected from 16 patients: one sample for the immediate quantification of HIV-1 RNA in the plasma and blood samples from the interior of 4 needles to be analyzed at 0h, 6h, 24h, and 72h after collection. In nine patients, another test was carried out in the blood from one additional needle, in which HIV-1 RNA was assessed 168h after blood collection. The method used to assess HIV-1 RNA was nucleic acid sequence-based amplification. Results: Up to 7 days after collection, HIV-1 RNA was detected in all of the needles. The viral RNA remained stable up to 168h, and there were no statistically significant differences among the needle samples. Conclusions: Although the infectivity of the viral material in the needles is unknown, the data indicate the need to re-evaluate the practices in cases of occupational accidents in which the source is not identified.