Community | March 27, 2009 | 5 comments

Unsanitary Colonoscopies Lead to Hepatitis in Veterans

source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-27-veterans-colonoscopies_N.htm?csp=34

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The Veterans Affairs department says 10 people have tested positive for infectious liver disease since they were exposed to contaminated colonoscopy equipment.

The 10 are among thousands of patients who have been warned to get blood tests since being treated at VA facilities in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Miami and Augusta, Ga. All three sites failed to properly sterilize equipment between treatments.

VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said Friday that four Tennessee patients have tested positive for hepatitis B. Six have tested positive for hepatitis C, a potentially life-threatening form of the viral infection that can cause permanent liver damage.

She says the VA will make sure they get treatment even though it's not known if the infections came from colonoscopies at its facilities.

The VA recently warned some veterans who had colonoscopies as far back as five years ago at those hospitals that they may have been exposed to the body fluids of other patients and should undergo tests to make sure they haven't contracted serious illnesses.
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5 comments // Unsanitary Colonoscopies Lead to Hepatitis in Veterans

  • WorldPeaceTV
  • soberwood95
    • 0
      soberwood95  

    • "failed to sterilize the lube fluid between patients" Why, in the face of this news and many other stories of mismanaged government organizations, do Americans still think the solution to any social problem is a program administered by our government?

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
    • 0
      sickinjersey  

    • most people know if they have lived or acted in a way that one would consider high risk that the potential for infectious disease of some sort is huge.that said there is know way to prove that they infected you.i lived a very high risk life style as a meth addict many years ago and i was infected some where along the way with hiv and hep c and b .with that in mind it is minutely possible that i was infected in a dentist or er or any other supposedly sterile environments.it just sucks that our government facility's are that poorly run.we all heard what a mess walter reed hosp.is.

    • 2 years ago
  • kennymotown
  • bombastinator
    • 0
      bombastinator  

    • Do a dna test on the bug. if it's the same strain then maybe. If not then perhaps they already had it. 10 in several thousand may not be that high.

    • 2 years ago
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