OBJECTIVETo discuss the possibility of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission through dental handpieces.

METHODSInvestigation was carried on methods for disinfecting and sterilizing dental handpieces and the condition of HBsAg contamination on dental handpieces before and after disinfection and sterilization by randomly sampling all special stomatological hospitals and dental clinics in a same city and 10 dental departments from the third, second and first class hospitals. The possibility of HBV transmission through dental handpieces was probed by investigating whether ducks can be infected by bath liquid of dental handpieces contaminated by DHBV, while in such bath liquid, DHBV can not be detected by serum dot hybridization.

RESULTSFrom 2001 to 2004, in methods to disposing dental handpieces, the use of autoclave was remarkably increased while of the disinfectant wipe, immersion and other methods was remarkably decreased. The positive rate of HBsAg from dental handpieces in practice was 1.65%. It was evident that the bath liquid of dental handpieces contaminated by DHBV can conduct infection in vivo test of duck, while DHBV can not be detected in such bath liquid by serum dot hybridization, it is proved that the negative result of HBsAg in non-sterilized dental handpieces can not eliminate the possibility of HBV transmission through dental handpieces.

CONCLUSIONThere might exist the possibility of HBV transmission through dental handpieces however, the autoclaves might kill the virus contaminating on dental handpieces.