Hepatitis C Scare At Las Vegas Clinic

Six Already Infected, 40,000 To Be Tested; Unsafe Injection Practices Likely Culprit

(CBS/AP)  A Las Vegas clinic may have infected a handful of patients with hepatitis C, and some 40,000 more should be tested for the blood-borne virus, health officials said Wednesday.

Six people who underwent procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada have contracted hepatitis C, the Southern Nevada Health District said in a statement.

Five of those received treatment at the facility on 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 are being notified of the potential exposure in letters arriving next week.

Chief health officer Lawrence Sands said 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.

"We are recommending all patients during this timeframe to get tested because we cannot determine which patients may have been exposed," Sands said.
A routine investigation process found that practitioners at the Endoscopy Center were using the same syringe on more than one patient -- exposing those patients to the blood of other patients, reports CBS News affiliate KLAS-TV in Las Vegas.

"During the course of the investigation, we identified serious problems with the center's injection practices. We found the re-use of syringes on a patient and the re-use of vials labeled for single patient use. The combination of these two practices could have exposed patients to the blood of other patients," Brian Labus with the Southern Nevada Health District told KLAS.

Hepatitis C is a chronic, potentially lethal 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 district said the virus may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients.

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 facility faces increased on-site inspections and fines that have yet to be determined.

Health officials are also recommending that Endoscopy Center patients also be tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, reports KLAS.

[beehive21-2009]

The greedy doctor needs hanging,he''s a criminal of the worst kind and should be send to jail with the dude who eats little girls.

[frit3]

This is not about the syringes. It''s about the leftover medication in the bottles. They figure they can save MONEY playing with people''s lives. They should all be injected with blood from an HIV positive volunteer so that they can see how it feels to be violated in this manner. They should make this health center pay for all of the medical costs of anyone who was injected there. How do these people sleep at night???? They are the scum-sucking dregs of humanity.

[rf35]

There is no excuse for reusing needles. The people directly responsible for doing so need to be found and prosecuted for criminal negligence at the very least, or perhaps assault with a deadly weapon. Then they should be sued individually by the patients who were infected.

[brianbwb-2009]

Even now, the neocons think that the hands of penny greedy corrupt private corporations is the place for America''s vital infrastructure.

[evelynm2]

We send our wishes for a clean bill of health for everyone who was exposed to Hep C, Hep B and/or HIV through the Nevada clinic. Hepatitis Outbreaks'' National Organization for Reform (HONOReform) is a patient advocacy organization that was formed in response to a similar outbreak in Nebraska. For information and support, please visit our website at www.HONOReform.org
Best wishes for good health, Evelyn McKnight, president of HONOReform

[randynason]

I was infected with hep B and C when I was given blood transfusions, back in 1971. Back then, blood was not tested. There is absolutely no exucse for that happening in this day and age, especially with HIV/AIDS so prevalent. Disgusting and irresponsible! I smell a lawsuit!

[denn034]

Such carelessness would also explain why the blood supply was tainted with HIV as well. Homosexuals in California as per Michael Savage think that they''re exclusion is discrimination and they donate without informing that they''re HIV positive and they''re proud of it, nevermind the risk to society. The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada definitely needs to be hit with a heavy fine to put it mildly and here''s hoping those victims sue them into non-existence!

[cyberus-2009]

I saw an article somewhere about a syringe that has a twist-off safety cap with a large base, when removed it exposes a ring that turns red after X minutes.

I may be a little slow but it seems to me that this type of thing should be required, to give everyone a chance to see a problem before it occurs.

[connapa]

In this day and age, there is NO excuse for reusing any syringe. They are so inexpensive, especially bought in bulk. So, you might have a few more sharps to dispose. The cost of a few syringes is better than the millions they will have to pay as a result. Oh, that''s right. Their insurance company will pay. And our insurance rates will go that much higher.