Outbreak of hepatitis B associated with acupuncture.

In the period February to May 1980, acute hepatitis B occurred in six patients who had received acupuncture at a chiropractic clinic. Of persons attending the clinic (October 1979 to April 1980), hepatitis B occurred more frequently among those who had received acupuncture (6 of 103) than among those who had not (0 of 408; P less than .0001). Hepatitis patients had received acupuncture during two exposure periods: November 27-28, 1979, and February 19-20, 1980. During these periods the clinic reused acupuncture needles after immersing them overnight in a 1:750 solution of benzalkonium chloride. The sequence of acupuncture sessions suggests that hepatitis B virus remained infectious on the acupuncture needles for 20 to 27 hours despite this procedure. It is recommended that only either disposable needles or reuseable needles that have been physically cleaned and autoclaved after each use be used in acupuncture procedures.