HIV, hepatitis scare may affect 40,000 US clinic patients

[gateley]

Source: google

HIV, hepatitis scare may affect 40,000 US clinic patients
2 hours ago
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — US officials Thursday said 40,000 people may have been infected with HIV and hepatitis in a major health scare after a Las Vegas clinic was found to have re-used syringes and medicine vials.

Authorities in southern Nevada said they were notifying some 40,000 patients who received anesthesia injections at the clinic's endoscopy center between March 2004 and January 11, 2008 about potential exposure to hepatitis and HIV.

They recommended in a statement that the patients "contact their primary care physicians or health care providers to get tested for hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B and HIV."

The move comes after several acute cases of hepatitis C showed up in the area. Six people have been diagnosed with the disease since January, which is three times higher than the yearly average for the Las Vegas region.

The three first cases came to light in January, and three other patients were subsequently found to have been infected with hepatitis C.

Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hNJFt2JXbxIwBkPB1Xzp4v-Ec-HA

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Re-used syringes? Aren't all syringes disposable now?

This is really horrific -

The news clip said the clinic would be investigated. INVESTIGATED? Boy, that's taking action! :sarcasm:

EDIT to add this link from the health department, that does a good job of explaining HOW this happened in this particular clinic - very straightforward answers.

http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/outbreaks/index.htm?loc=interstitialskip

And check out this statement;

On average, two cases of acute hepatitis C are reported each year in Clark County. Six cases have been identified in relation to this investigation.

[acmavm]

1. Oh my God, that's at the very least reckless endangerment. More

than likely depraved indifference.

[Warpy]

2. It depends on how those syringes were re used

If they were, say, 10 mg. morphine syringes that were divided down into 2 mg. doses given through the port in an IV line, the most likely scenario, the risk is minimal. The technique is unbelievably sloppy, but the risk is practically nonexistent.

If they were injecting through a port right into an IV catheter, then the risk is considerably higher.

Using a large quantity syringe and dividing the doses cuts down on the paperwork, but that's the only advantage.

Some people will go to prison over this one, though. The whole clinic is going to be sued out of existence.

[gateley]

3. I added a link to the health department site

which gives very good answers and explanations to this particular situation.

The risk is probably high enough for those six people who have been diagnosed with Hep C in a county that generally ID's two cases annually.

And that's just those who have found out about it. I had Hep C for 20 years and didn't know it (they didn't even "have" Hep C when I got it).

I think you'll find that site interesting - sounds like you'll understand the transmission explanation far better than I did!

[Warpy]

4. Right, and for contamination to happen

when they reused the syringe on the same patient, they had to be injecting directly into the IV site and not up on a set of tubing.

It sounds like they were using Valium, something that has to be injected directly into the port at the IV insertion site.

The Valium bottle should have been used for only one patient. A new syringe should have been used for each draw, since the needles on disposables get dull very quickly.

This is a bad one. I hope everybody who used that clinic gets tested. Most will not be affected, but the ones who were need to get treatment started NOW.

[gateley]

5. They're notifying all those who had the procedure,

and I'm glad they're emphasizing that there are probably no symptoms -- possibly for years -- so people take heed and get checked.

[laylah]

10. Had to have a blood transfusion

in 1981 with my first baby. No blood testing 'cuz Raygun poo-pooed the procedure. Diagnosed Hep C positive 25 years later...never did intraveneous drugs, never did "indescrimate screwing", had few partners...married for 27 years! My point is, there are NOT symptoms for years. :cry:

[Cobalt Violet]

11. Sorry you never got to do "indescrimate screwing",

But that's not how hepatitic C is spread anyway so it's not to late to make up for lost time.}(

[laylah]

12. ...

:hug: Thanks so much for the endorphine fix! :yourock:

[spotbird]

6. Maybe someone was fudging

so they could take some home? Document the patient received 10mg, give them five instead. Give the other five for the next guy, but report he got 10 as well...

[Warpy]

7. That wouldn't have caused the contamination of the vial

which never should have been used for more than one patient.

Anyone who wanted to fudge would simply have withdrawn the contents of the vial and replaced it with water or saline so no one would be the wiser when two licensed professionals witnessed the discard.

This was just massively sloppy technique and now there are a lot of people out there who have been exposed to potentially lethal illnesses and a clinic that will be sued out of existence. A few licenses will also be lost.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

8. Hi gateley, No wonder people are scared to death to go to the hospital!

:scared: My dad always said "If your not sick when you go, you will be, when they're done with you"
Unfortunately my poor dad died from a Staph infection called MERSA after an operation :-(

I was going to post this video- 40K exposed to hepatitis, HIV Nevada health officials are recommending that patients get tested for hepatitis and HIV. CNN Affiliate KVVU reports
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5mweuYttdg

:kick:

[AzDar]

9. This facility is still operational? WTF?