- Hello Jeff -- This same situation is repeated over and
over again throughout the world. People contracting HCV because of inadequate
infection controls.
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- We need more infection control, and cannot even rely
on control of the 20th century. The 21st century pathogens are "bigger
and badder" then ever before. We are faced with resistant bacteria
and parasites, diseases like Hepatitis C and prion diseases evade normal
neutralization protocols.
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- I am afraid that we will continue to hear about cases
of Hepatitis C infections among people who undergo medical and dental procedures
in medical facilities that use inadequate infection control protocols.
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- Make no mistake, there is NO CURE for Hepatitis C. Health
care facilities must do all they can to avoid spreading this virus to their
patients.
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- I can tell you, from my own experience, Hepatitis C is
not easily managed and is a terminal illness.
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- 2,000 People May Have Contracted Hep C
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- (AAP) -- Almost 2,000 people who visited a Sydney medical
clinic could be at risk of hepatitis C infection because of inadequate
controls at the practice, NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher said.
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- At least three patients probably contracted hepatitis
C because of inadequate infection control at Dr Daniel Hameiri's Double
Bay clinic, an investigation has found.
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- Health Minister Reba Meagher said NSW Health had now
notified almost 2,000 patients who attended the clinic and who could be
at risk of the blood-borne virus. They are being advised to
be tested for hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B and HIV.
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- The investigation found the spread of the highly infectious
virus, detected in three patients in March, had probably occurred as a
result of "inadequate infection control practices" at the clinic.
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- The disease, for which there is no vaccine, can cause
liver damage including cirrhosis and liver failure, over a period of many
years. All three female patients who contracted the disease had visited
the clinic for vitamin or mineral injections. "Although
the risk is low we also want to encourage anyone else who has received
injections at this clinic to contact their doctor," Ms Meagher said.
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- Director of Public Health for South Eastern Sydney and
Illawarra Health Service, Professor Mark Ferson, said during the investigation
300 patients had already been notified to be tested.
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- Of those, 160 people had been tested with two further
patients having been found to have contracted hepatitis C, however Prof
Ferson said this may be a coincidence. He said the disease could
have been spread at the clinic as easily as a drop of infected blood being
on a tourniquet, used to make a vein stand out when giving injections. "That
tourniquet might have a drop of blood from someone on it that was infected
and then placed over the wound of the next person, that's one of the theoretical
possibilities," he said.
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- Prof Ferson said Dr Hameiri had cooperated fully with
the investigation and had closed his clinic for a period of time to upgrade
his infection control procedures. His clinic was also inspected
prior to re-opening, with infection control knowledge and practice of clinic
staff being found to be up to standard.
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- Director of communicable diseases for NSW Health, Dr
Jeremy McAnulty, said GPs had been written to as part of the investigation
reminding them of the high importance of infection control. Dr
McAnulty said Dr Hameiri had now been referred to the Medical Board and
Health Care Complaints Commission, with a further determination to be made
by those two bodies.
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- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD
- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
- Univ of West Indies
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- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message
board at:
- http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php
- Also my new website:
- http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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