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Nevada Urges Hepatitis Tests for 40,000
(Before we ever get seen by a doctor they always have to ask if we have ever used drugs. In a sense, MOST OF US ARE IV DRUG USERS. The deal is that those drugs were administered by "professionals". I hate to see news of these health threats but I am somewhat comforted seeing that they are tracking these cases well enough that they can find the source of infection. --Willy)
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/nevada-urges-hepatitis-tests-for-40000/20080228071009990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Nevada Urges Hepatitis Tests for 40,000
AP
Posted: 2008-02-28 07:16:40
Filed Under: Health News
LAS VEGAS (Feb. 27) -- A clinic may have infected a handful of patients with hepatitis C — but about 40,000 more should be tested for that virus, as well as for HIV, health officials said Wednesday.
Six people who underwent procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada now have the blood-borne hepatitis C virus, the Southern Nevada Health District said in a statement.
Five of them were treated the same day in late September; the sixth is believed to have been infected in July, the district said.
An investigation determined that "unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication might have exposed patients to the blood of other patients," the statement said.
Officials said the unsafe practices had been in place for several years and may have put others at risk. About 40,000 patients who received injections of anesthesia at the clinic will be told of the potential exposure in letters arriving next week.
Anyone who received anesthesia at the clinic from March 2004 to Jan. 11 should be tested for the virus, along with hepatitis B and HIV, chief health officer Lawrence Sands said.
"We are recommending all patients during this time frame to get tested because we cannot determine which patients may have been exposed," Sands said.
Hepatitis C is a chronic, potentially fatal virus that can cause liver ailments, including cancer and liver failure. The health district says it typically receives reports of two acute cases each year. Three of the six cases reported this year are acute, it said.
The virus may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients, the district said.
Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada has ceased those practices, it said.
"All concerns noted by the health department were addressed immediately. We want to be sure that every patient who may have been exposed is informed and tested," the center said in a statement.
To retain its state license and Medicare certification, the center faces increased on-site inspections and fines yet to be determined.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/nevada-urges-hepatitis-tests-for-40000/20080228071009990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Nevada Urges Hepatitis Tests for 40,000
AP
Posted: 2008-02-28 07:16:40
Filed Under: Health News
LAS VEGAS (Feb. 27) -- A clinic may have infected a handful of patients with hepatitis C — but about 40,000 more should be tested for that virus, as well as for HIV, health officials said Wednesday.
Six people who underwent procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada now have the blood-borne hepatitis C virus, the Southern Nevada Health District said in a statement.
Five of them were treated the same day in late September; the sixth is believed to have been infected in July, the district said.
An investigation determined that "unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication might have exposed patients to the blood of other patients," the statement said.
Officials said the unsafe practices had been in place for several years and may have put others at risk. About 40,000 patients who received injections of anesthesia at the clinic will be told of the potential exposure in letters arriving next week.
Anyone who received anesthesia at the clinic from March 2004 to Jan. 11 should be tested for the virus, along with hepatitis B and HIV, chief health officer Lawrence Sands said.
"We are recommending all patients during this time frame to get tested because we cannot determine which patients may have been exposed," Sands said.
Hepatitis C is a chronic, potentially fatal virus that can cause liver ailments, including cancer and liver failure. The health district says it typically receives reports of two acute cases each year. Three of the six cases reported this year are acute, it said.
The virus may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients, the district said.
Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada has ceased those practices, it said.
"All concerns noted by the health department were addressed immediately. We want to be sure that every patient who may have been exposed is informed and tested," the center said in a statement.
To retain its state license and Medicare certification, the center faces increased on-site inspections and fines yet to be determined.
this is not always just carelessness.
I heard horror stories similar from a Dr. who ran an AIDS clinic. He knew several people who had the virus, and were actively trying to spread it because of their own resentment over having contracted it.
In this country, in this century, it's almost impossible to believe any clinical staff could be ignorant as to the need to change needles, it's far more likely they were either themselves on drugs and ergo insanity set in, or else, they had a subconcious if not conscious desire to NOT protect the health of others, based on the afore mentioned cases.
I heard horror stories similar from a Dr. who ran an AIDS clinic. He knew several people who had the virus, and were actively trying to spread it because of their own resentment over having contracted it.
In this country, in this century, it's almost impossible to believe any clinical staff could be ignorant as to the need to change needles, it's far more likely they were either themselves on drugs and ergo insanity set in, or else, they had a subconcious if not conscious desire to NOT protect the health of others, based on the afore mentioned cases.
If you can find a silver lining to this saga I would think it should highlight the need for universal testing.
Further......I would warrent (or at least hope) that there are many cases of existing HCV that are diagnosed thru this scare that were not caused by the poor medical practices that origionated the need for the test.
Since about 2/3rds of us are still undiagnosed in theory about 4% of the 40,000 people tested it should yield a lot of people already infected. At a rate of 4% each thousand should produce about 40 cases, therefore 40 X 40 thousand equals about 1600 previously infected people. Technically, since many of those people may be more of our age demographic it may yield far more than 4%
best,
Willy
Further......I would warrent (or at least hope) that there are many cases of existing HCV that are diagnosed thru this scare that were not caused by the poor medical practices that origionated the need for the test.
Since about 2/3rds of us are still undiagnosed in theory about 4% of the 40,000 people tested it should yield a lot of people already infected. At a rate of 4% each thousand should produce about 40 cases, therefore 40 X 40 thousand equals about 1600 previously infected people. Technically, since many of those people may be more of our age demographic it may yield far more than 4%
best,
Willy
What is wrong with these people. Aren't they trained properly. Is it lazziness. Or is it a don't give a sh** attitude. Personaly I think the people involved should be prosecuted. This is happening too many times lately. Any Dr's office or Dentist's that doesn't clean their equipment properly and spreads a contagious desease should go to jail period.
Why should so many people have to suffer because of someone elses carelessness or lazziness.
Bobby
Why should so many people have to suffer because of someone elses carelessness or lazziness.
Bobby
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