The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning healthcare professionals that sharing blood glucose monitoring machines carries the risk of transmitting the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other infectious diseases. Their simple advice: One monitor per diabetic patient.

In recent years, the number of reported HBV outbreaks linked to blood glucose monitoring has increased, particularly in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, but also in any setting (e.g. clinics, health fairs, schools, camps and senior centers, among others) where blood glucose monitoring equipment is shared, or where those performing the monitoring do not follow basic infection control practices.