From The Desk of Editor in Chief

History of outbreaks of HIV in Hemodialysis UnitsHemodialysis patients are at greater risk of hospital acquired infections than any other hospitalized patients, particularly for blood borne infections transmission.Over the years' patient safety has benefited from continuous improvements in dialysis machine design, equipment safety, diagnostic assays, vaccines, and guidelines that emphasize evidence-based infection prevention strategies.The history of outbreaks of HIV in hemodialysis units' dates back to 1990.Reported from Egypt in 1990, in which a total of 82 HIV infections occurred at 3 renal dialysis centers.Reported from Argentina in 1993, where from a single center 20 out of 34 registered dialysis patients were found HIV positive.Catheters of the clinic's dialysis machines were found to be contaminated with HIV in this case.In 1993 reported from Colombia, South America, 13 dialysis patients tested positive for HIV.While investigated it was reported that Dialyzers were reprocessed separately with 5% formaldehyde and were labelled for use on the same patient.Access needles were reprocessed by soaking them in a common container with a low-level disinfectant, benzalkonium chloride; 4 pairs of needles were placed in one pan creating the potential for crosscontamination or use of one patient's needles on another patient.