Yourlawyer.com (Hepatitis News)

Hepatitis Scare In Colorado Not Over Yet

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The hepatitis scandal that originated in Colorado is not yet over. The Denver Post reports that hundreds of patients remain untested for the dangerous liver disease that was potentially spread due to scrub tech Kristen Diane Parker’s shoddy practices and drug addiction.

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the incurable disease can be fatal. Hepatitis C is considered the leading cause of liver transplants.

The Denver Post said that Rose Medical Center is still trying to track down about 375 patients who have yet to be tested. Of these, some patients have refused testing or have received private testing and are not sharing results; the Center does not have accurate or current telephone numbers for about 100 patients. After Parker left Rose she worked at Audubon Surgery Center of Colorado Springs; 57 patients from that facility have not yet been reached, said the Denver Post. Both centers are facing at least one lawsuit each as a result of the debacle, said the Denver Post.

Parker, 26, is infected with hepatitis C and recently agreed to a plea agreement on charges stemming from her alleged theft of Fentanyl syringes and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Parker allegedly stole the syringes for her own use, replacing them with saline after injecting herself and potentially infecting others with the disease.

Parker was indicted on July 23 on 42 counts by a federal grand jury: 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post previously; charges only related to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose, one of several facilities in which Parker worked. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted previously.

The Denver Post reported that more charges could be made and that, if convicted, Parker—who was jailed without bond—could have faced life in prison. The original counts were later reduced because prosecutors were looking to focus on the cases that were “easiest to prove,” said the Denver Post earlier. Parker pleaded not guilty to the indictment of 42 counts but acknowledged guilt on 10 counts, said the Associated Press (AP) earlier. The plea enables Parker to avoid a potential life sentence, noted BizJournals previously.

Fentanyl is a narcotic pain medication used for surgical patients and, as a result of swapping saline for the surgical pain medication, patients who were supposed to receive Fentanyl, clearly were not administered their prescribed medication, noted BizJournals in an earlier piece.

Of the Rose patients tested—some 4,158—15 patients were infected with hepatitis C from Parker, said the Denver Post, citing genetic tests. The Colorado Hospital Association has since implemented a task force, said the Denver Post, in order to look into so-called hospital "drug diversion," which is a term that related to drug theft that stems from staff, patients, or others with access to the hospital. The Association is also looking into hiring and drug policies at hospitals and is also reviewing state and federal regulations and for ways in which to enforce patient safety, said the Denver Post.

Rose is working on installing “drug-dispensing machines,” said the Denver Post, and is posting them in operating rooms; the Center is also conducting training on understanding drug theft and has geared it to managers and employees.

Florida Hospital Patients May Have Been Exposed To HIV, Hepatitis

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Another case of potential hospital-spread hepatitis has been discovered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to the Sun Sentinel, police in that city are looking into a long-time registered nurse who, according to her staff—violated infection-control protocols, with full knowledge. The ongoing situation—over 1,800 patients are believed to have been exposed to the shoddy infection practices—took place at Broward General Medical Center.

In addition to hepatitis B and C, patients were also likely exposed to HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS. All three pathogens are blood borne in nature.

Police spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa said the hospital requested the investigation of Qui Lan, 59, said the Sun Sentinel. Officials at the hospital said they learned that Lan was reusing catheter tubing and saline bags on multiple patients, said the Sun Sentinel. The tubing and bags were meant for one-time patient use during cardiac chemical stress tests. According to the Sun Sentinel, to date, there have been no charges filed or victims named.

It remains unknown if Lan knowingly placed thousands of patients at risk or if the scandal is related to negligence on her part, said the Sun Sentinel. An anonymous report led to the investigation in which at least one nurse said Lan understood that the supplies should not be reused. Sun Sentinel explained that the medical supplies deliver saline solution via IV to enable optimum vein performance during stress testing.

"But we still don't know why she chose to do this," said, Alice Taylor, chief operating officer of Broward General Medical Center, quoted Sun Sentinel. "This is flagrant disregard of basic nursing principles," Taylor added.

In the meantime, 1,851 patients believed to have been potentially exposed since 2004, are being notified and asked to undergo blood screening, which the hospital will pay for, said Sun Sentinel. Specialists, including from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are being consulted, the paper added.

This is the most recent in a string of similar incidents in which medical supplies have been tampered with or used in ways that expose countless patients to disease. We have been following the scandals with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ centers in three cities in which colonoscopy and endoscopy equipment were reused without being properly sanitized. To date, noted the Sun Sentinel some 50 veterans have tested positive for blood borne pathogens.

Most recently, a surgical tech who worked out of two Colorado hospitals and hospitals in New York and Texas was charged and sentenced after it was discovered she was swapping syringes containing the narcotic pain reliever Fentanyl with saline after injecting herself. She has tested positive for hepatitis.

Lan, has an active Florida nursing license and a clean record, said the Sun Sentinel. She was suspended on September 8 and resigned on the 9th; the hospital reported her to the Florida Board of Nursing, said the Sun Sentinel, which added that authorities believe Lan is no longer in the United States. CEO of Broward Center CEO, James Thaw, told the paper that the hospital notified patients and arranged for off-site testing in the month before it notified the police.

Colorado Hospital Fighting Subpoena In Hepatitis Probe

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

One of the Colorado medical facilities involved in the hepatitis C scandal linked to a fired operating room tech is fighting a subpoena issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Gazette wrote that the Audubon Ambulatory Surgical Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado is fighting the subpoena seeking the identity of a patient who may have contracted hepatitis C from the fired technician.

Kristen Diane Parker, 26, who has hepatitis C, allegedly stole fentanyl syringes for her own use and, after injecting herself, replaced the fentanyl with saline. Parker is accused of returning the dirty saline-filled syringes to the hospitals’ supplies, and they were eventually used to treat patients. In Colorado, Parker worked at Rose Medical Center from October 21 to April 13 and at Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. Parker also worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston, Texas between May 2005 and October 2006, the Associated Press (AP) previously reported, and at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York’s Mount Kisco between October 8, 2007, and February 28, 2008. Investigations are ongoing in all three states.

Although prosecutors argue that the information is needed in their case against the fired tech, Audubon’s lawyers are looking to quash a subpoena also asking for records for those patients treated when Parker worked there, said the Gazette. State officials have linked 27 hepatitis C cases contracted by former Rose and Audubon patients to Parker, said the Gazette. Parker was fired from Rose prior to working at Audubon.

According to Audubon, reported the Gazette, just two patients tested positive for the same hepatitis C genome as Parker and one of those reported contracting the dangerous blood borne disease from a blood transfusion in 1972. The remaining case has been identified as “Patient B,” whose redacted medical reports have been provided to the U.S. Attorney’ Office, said the Gazette. The patient’s identity was removed from the report and the patient has advised Audubon that he objects to its releasing his data to prosecuting attorneys, reported the Gazette.

According to the center’s attorney, the patient agreed to identification if genome-sequence testing, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), link his hepatitis to the tech, said the Gazette. Because of this, federal privacy laws prevent Audubon from releasing Patient B’s information and the U.S. Attorney had to limit its request to unedited patient records for Patient B and excluding records for patients treated at the center during Parker’s time there, explained the Gazette.

Parker was indicted on July 23 on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post previously. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted. The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison. Parker is currently jailed without bond. The original 21 counts were later reduced to 19 counts each because prosecutors were looking to focus on the 19 cases that are “easiest to prove,” said the Denver Post. Parker is scheduled to go on trial Monday.

21 Hepatitis C Cases in Colorado May be Linked to Indicted Scrub Tech

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Three more people in Colorado have tested positive for hepatitis C that may be related to one former surgical technician. According to The Denver Post, the Colorado Health Department is now reporting 21 cases of the blood borne disease that may have originated with Kristen Diane Parker.

Parker, who has hepatitis C, allegedly stole fentanyl syringes for her own use, and after injecting herself, replaced the fentanyl with saline. Parker is accused of returning the dirty saline-filled syringes to the hospitals' supplies, and they were eventually used to treat patients.

In Colorado, Parker worked at Rose Medical Center from Oct. 21 to April 13 and at Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. Parker also worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston, Texas between May 2005 and Oct. 2006, the Associated Press (AP) previously reported and at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York’s Mount Kisco between Oct. 8, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2008. Investigations continue in all three states and patients continue to be tested.

Parker was indicted on July 23 on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post previously. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted. The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison. Parker is currently jailed without bond.

According to The Denver Post, 20 hepatitis C cases that were a preliminary match to Parker have been found among people treated at Rose. The 21st case is an Audubon patient, but officials there told the Denver Post that the case will eventually prove to be unconnected once more genetic testing is complete.

Last week, we reported that five of over 1,200 former surgical patients at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York have also tested positive for the hepatitis C virus. Three of those patients apparently contracted the disease prior to Parker’s employment at the facility. A former patient has filed suit against the hospital, claiming he contracted the disease from Parker. The plaintiff in the lawsuit underwent outpatient ankle surgery at Northern Westchester in 2007.

NY Hep C Lawsuit

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

In addition to the numerous hepatitis C cases cropping up nationwide and allegedly linked to former surgical tech Kristen Diane Parker, 26, what appears to be the first lawsuit in New York alleging hep C contamination due to Parker’s practices has been filed.

The New York Post is reporting that David Swift, 53, a former patient at Northern Westchester Hospital is the first patient in New York to allege hep C contamination from Parker. Swift underwent outpatient ankle surgery in 2007 and was recently advised to undergo testing because he was administered Fentanyl when Parker was working in the operating room, said The Post. Last month, the Northern Westchester Hospital advised over 2,700 patients to receive testing, said LoHud.com, previously.

Parker is infected with hepatitis C and, now, so too is Swift. "My wife and I try to live a healthy life. Now somebody else's risky behavior is causing me a lot of hardship,” said Swift, quoted The Post. Swift's attorney filed the lawsuit late last week against both Parker and the Northern Westchester Hospital, said The Post.

Parker allegedly swapped sterile Fentanyl syringes with dirty—potentially hepatitis C-contaminated—saline-filled syringes, endangering countless patients. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the incurable disease can be fatal. According to LoHud.com, hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants.

Parker worked at Rose from Oct. 21 to April 13 and at Colorado Springs’ Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. Parker also worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston, Texas between May 2005 and Oct. 2006, the Associated Press (AP) previously reported and at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York’s Mount Kisco between Oct. 8, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2008. Investigations continue in all three states and patients continue to be tested.

We recently reported that 19 patients from Rose tested positive for the dangerous and sometimes deadly disease. LoHud.com recently reported that five of over 1,200 former surgical patients at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York have also tested positive for the hepatitis C virus, citing hospital officials. Three of those patients apparently contracted the disease prior to Parker’s employment at the facility. One patient from Audubon, said KRDO previously, also tested positive for the virus. More positive hepatitis C results are expected.

Parker was indicted last week on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post previously. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted. The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison.

Although Parker alleges she did not know she was infected with hepatitis C at the time the crimes were committed, the Associated Press (AP) previously reported that Parker tested positive with the virus before she began working at Rose, but that Parker never followed-up on the diagnosis. The Denver Post noted that Parker was told at a pre-employment exam at Rose that she was likely infected with hepatitis C and Parker, herself, told police she shared needles when she used heroin.

NY Hep C Cases Linked to Colorado Scrub Tech

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

We have been following the hepatitis C debacle that appears to have originated with former surgical technician, Kristen Diane Parker, 26. We recently reported that 19 patients from Colorado’s Rose Medical Center tested positive for the dangerous and sometimes deadly disease. Now, reports LoHud.com, five of over 1,200 former surgical patients at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York, have also tested positive for the hepatitis C virus, citing hospital officials.

Of those whose hepatitis C is linked to Parker, 14 are from Rose and one, from Audubon, said KRDO, previously; 13 are scheduled for sequencing, additional genetic testing, which will provide more confirmation that the virus genotype is the same as Parker’s. “According to the CDC, it’s 99.4 percent certain to be linked to the former employee,” said Mark Salley, Department of Health and Environment spokesman, reported KRDO. The state expects more positive hepatitis C results to come in as a result of the testing, said KRDO.

Last month, the Northern Westchester Hospital advised over 2,700 patients to receive testing, said LoHud.com. Three of the five patients who tested positive for the virus contracted it prior to Parker’s employment at the hospital; therefore their infections are not connected to Parker, reported LoHud.com, citing hospital officials.

Parker was indicted last week on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted. The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison.

Although Parker alleges she did not know she was infected with hepatitis C at the time the crimes were committed, the AP previously reported that Parker tested positive with the virus before she began working at Rose, but that Parker never followed-up on the diagnosis. The Denver Post noted that Parker was told at a pre-employment exam at Rose that she was likely infected with hepatitis C and Parker, herself, told police she shared needles when she used heroin.

McDonald's Hepatitis A Victims Sue

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The family of a boy who allegedly contracted hepatitis A after eating at McDonald’s Corporation’s Milan, Illinois, establishment is suing the fast food giant for damages and “other relief,” reports Reuters.

The lawsuit alleges that after eating at a McDonald’s in Milan, Dillon Mrasak, 16, began exhibiting symptoms that included a “very high fever, aches, and fatigue,” said Reuters. The boy required hospitalization last month and tested positive for hepatitis A.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis A is an acute, contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The disease is transmitted by the ingestion of fecal matter or contaminated food or drinks or from close person-to-person contact. The ingestion can be, says the CDC, even in microscopic amounts. Such person-to-person contact can occur when, for instance, an infected person does not wash his or her hands properly after going to the bathroom and touches other objects or food, the CDC explained.

Hep A symptoms usually appear anywhere from two-to-six weeks after exposure and develop over a period of several days and can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, and jaundice. Hep A, while not chronic, can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and, while most people recover with no long-lasting liver damage, people can feel sick for months. Hep A can cause liver failure and even death in people over the age of 50 or in those with other liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or C.

Personal injury attorneys in Illinois are working on a class action suit, said Justice News Flash that involves one man—Cody Patterson—and thousands of other potential plaintiffs. Patterson and the others all ate at McDonald’s eateries in Milan where an outbreak that involves 19 confirmed illnesses with 11 needing hospitalization or treatment occurred, said Justice News Flash.

Two McDonald’s food handlers are among those sickened, said Reuters, which noted that over 20 people have become sick in Illinois and Iowa. Citing press reports, Reuters reported that one of the workers who was ill on June 16, was later diagnosed with hepatitis A. It seems the worker did handle food while she was infectious, said Reuters.

The two McDonald’s restaurants in Milan were closed on July 15 by the Rock Island County Health Department. The restaurants were closed for health official inspection and cleaning, reported the Denver Post; both sites were reopened on July 18. According to Reuters, citing a McDonald’s spokeswoman, the outbreak’s source has not been confirmed.

Reuters noted that over 4,500 people have been vaccinated against hepatitis A and more than 10,000 people may have been exposed based on traffic information for the two establishments involved.

Justice News Flash pointed out that when patrons fall ill because a restaurant owner fails to maintain “a safe and healthy working environment, as required by state and federal health laws,” those patrons may be entitled to compensation for damages and injuries, including physician visits, hospital stays, medications, and lost income, to name some.

Second Colorado Facility Linked to Hepatitis C Outbreak

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Late last week, we reported that 19 patients from Rose Medial Center tested positive for hepatitis C, contracted as a result of contact with surgical technician Kristen Diane Parker. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment is now reporting that initial results indicate confirmed cases of the dangerous and, sometimes deadly, virus have been received out of the Audubon Surgery Center.

Parker, 26, allegedly swapped sterile Fentanyl syringes with dirty—potentially hepatitis C-contaminated—saline-filled syringes, endangering countless patients. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the disease can be fatal. The disease is incurable, but can be treated.

"It was disappointing to see the first case linked to Audubon Surgery Center," said Mark Salley Department of Health and Environment spokesman, quoted NewsChannel13/KRDO. Of those whose hepatitis C is linked to Parker, 14 are from Rose and one, from Audubon, said KRDO; 13 are scheduled for sequencing, additional genetic testing, which will provide more confirmation that the virus genotype is the same as Parker’s. "According to the CDC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) it's 99.4 percent certain to be linked to the former employee," Salley said, reported KRDO. The state expects more positive hepatitis C results to come in as a result of the testing, said KRDO.

"There was no knowing if the employee would continue her activity here," Salley said, "but with this case, it appears she may have," he added, reported KRDO. The link to Colorado’s page on testing and results can be accessed at: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/Hepatitis/hepc/InvestigationCaseTable.html

According to Jeffrey Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Colorado, “Nineteen people tested positive for hepatitis C who had surgery at Rose Medical Center, have the same genotype as Parker, and did not have hepatitis C prior to surgery,” the Denver Post quoted last week. This development, said the Denver Post, represented the first direct link between the contamination and Parker. The paper also reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison.

Parker was indicted last week on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted. The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison.

19 Hepatitis C Cases Now Linked to Colorado Surgical Tech

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Sadly, the number of patients who likely contracted the dangerous, sometimes deadly, hepatitis C from surgical technician Kristen Diane Parker, has risen to 19. Parker, 26, allegedly swapped sterile Fentanyl syringes with dirty—potentially hepatitis C-contaminated—saline-filled syringes, endangering countless patients.

"Nineteen people tested positive for hepatitis C who had surgery at Rose Medical Center, have the same genotype as Parker, and did not have hepatitis C prior to surgery," said Jeffrey Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Colorado, quoted the Denver Post. This development, said the Denver Post, represents the first direct link between the contamination and Parker.

Yesterday, Parker was indicted on 42 counts by a federal grand jury, 21 counts of product tampering and 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, reported the Denver Post. These charges, said the Denver Post, only relate to Parker’s alleged activities at Rose. Parker was also charged with three criminal counts earlier in the month that were connected to stealing Fentanyl, the Denver Post noted.

All 19 cases of hepatitis C were discovered at Rose, said the Associated Press (AP). “I am certain the 19 hepatitis C cases to date have been linked to Parker,” said U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner, quoted the AP.

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the disease can be fatal. The disease is incurable, but can be treated.

Parker worked at Rose from Oct. 21 to April 13 and at Colorado Springs’ Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. Parker also worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston, Texas between May 2005 and Oct. 2006, the Associated Press (AP) previously reported and at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York’s Mount Kisco between Oct. 8, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2008. Investigations continue in all three states and patients continue to be tested.

Although Parker alleges, through her attorney, that she did not know she was infected with hepatitis C at the time the crimes were committed, the AP previously reported that Parker tested positive with the virus before she began working at Rose, but that Parker never followed-up on the diagnosis. Prior to the indictment, a federal magistrate ordered Parker jailed without bond, saying she switched the needles even though she knew she had hepatitis C, the AP said. The Denver Post noted that Parker was told at a pre-employment exam at Rose that she was likely infected with hepatitis C and Parker, herself, told police she shared needles when she used heroin.

Meanwhile, yesterday we wrote that the Colorado state health department was apparently fully aware of Parker’s criminal activities at Rose four days before Parker was barred from working as a surgical tech at Audubon, according to the Denver Post, which added that officials knew Parker was feeding her addiction and potentially endangering countless patients.

The Denver Post reported that additional charges could be made in future indictments and that, if convicted, Parker could face life in prison.

Hep C Outbreak Linked to Colorado Surgical Tech Grows

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The hepatitis C scandal that originated in Denver, Colorado has not only expanded to two other states, but its victim toll has risen to 11. The Denver Post just reported that 11 patients from the Rose Medical Center have contracted the dangerous and sometimes deadly blood borne liver disease. New York and Texas are also investigating the outbreak.

The Denver Post noted that there have been no cases of the disease from the Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs, citing health officials. Nearly, 1,800 patients have been tested for hepatitis C in the past two weeks, since news broke about Kristen Diane Parker, 26, a former employee at both Rose and Audubon, said the Denver Post. Parker has been accused of allegedly swapping sterile Fentanyl syringes with dirty, saline-filled syringes; Parker has tested positive for hepatitis C.

As we’ve reported previously, Parker faces federal criminal charges for her alleged conduct. The former surgical tech worked at Rose Medical Center in Denver from Oct. 21 to April 13 and at Colorado Springs’ Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. She was allegedly swapping syringes to feed her addiction. In Colorado, 6,000 patients have been alerted that they may have been exposed to hepatitis C because of Parker’s actions. Now, officials say that the 11 cases may be linked to Parker.

An earlier Associated Press (AP) report said Parker tested positive for hepatitis C before she began working at Rose, but never followed-up on the diagnoses. A federal magistrate has since ordered Parker jailed without bond, saying she switched the needles even though she knew she had hepatitis C, the AP said previously.

The AP also reported earlier that Parker worked at hospitals in New York and Texas, which has since prompted officials in those states to launch their own investigations. In Texas, Parker worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston between May 2005 and October 2006, the AP said. An investigation began there last week; however, officials say that it is too early to determine if any patients are at risk.

According to the same AP article, New York health officials are advising 2,800 patients who underwent surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco between Oct. 8, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2008 to get tested for hepatitis C. It is not yet known if Parker had hepatitis C while she was employed at Northern Westchester Hospital, and, so far, no cases of the disease have been reported.

The Denver Post reported that of the patients tested at the two Colorado facilities, five patients did test positive for hepatitis C, but were not connected to Parker. State health officials in that state are testing the “genetic makeup” of hepatitis C in all the blood samples that come back with positive results, said the Denver Post. Once a positive test is received, the samples are then sent to the labs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for additional testing, said the Denver Post.

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the disease can be fatal. The disease is incurable, but can be treated. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, pain, and jaundice.

Colorado Hepatitis C Surgical Tech Being Investigated in New York, Texas

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

A hepatitis C scare that originated in Colorado has now spread to two other states. According to the Associated Press, health officials in New York and Texas are now investigating an allegedly painkiller-addicted surgical technician who is accused of switching new syringes for used, dirty ones at two hospitals in Colorado.

As we've reported previously, Kristen Diane Parker, 26, faces federal criminal charges for her alleged conduct. The former surgical tech worked at Rose Medical Center in Denver from Oct. 21 to April 13 and at Colorado Springs' Audubon Surgery Center from May 4 until June 29. She was allegedly swapping Fentanyl syringes with dirty, saline-filled syringes to feed her addiction. In Colorado, 6,000 patients have been alerted that they may have been exposed to hepatitis C because of her actions. What's more, officials say that 10 cases of the illness may be linked to Parker.

Various media outlets have reported that Parker has admitted to the syringe swaps. An earlier Associated Press report said Parker tested positive for hepatitis C prior to working at Rose, but did not follow-up. A federal magistrate has ordered Parker jailed without bond, saying she switched the needles even though she knew she had hepatitis C, the Associated Press said.

Now the Associated Press is reporting that Parker worked at hospitals in New York and Texas, prompting officials in those states to launch their own investigation. In Texas, Parker worked at Christus St. John Hospital outside Houston between May 2005 and October 2006, the Associated Press said. An investigation began there Wednesday, but officials say that it its too early to determine if any patients are at risk.

According to the same Associated Press article, New York health officials are advising 2,800 patients who had surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco between Oct. 8, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2008 to get tested for hepatitis C. It isn't known if Parker had hepatitis C while she was employed there, and so far no cases of the disease have been reported.

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. It attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the disease can be fatal. The disease is incurable, but can be treated. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, pain, and jaundice.

6000 Hospital Patients Exposed to Hepatitis

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

A former surgery technician heard a list of criminal charges she faces in a potentially massive hepatitis contamination. The Denver Post said Kristen Diane Parker, 26, is accused of exposing thousands of patients to hepatitis C, “tampering with a consumer product, counterfeiting a controlled substance, and containing a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge.”

CNN reported that Parker remains in federal custody facing three drug-related charges and could face up to 20 years in prison if she is found to have seriously harmed a patient. Parker could face life in prison if a patient dies as a result of her actions, said CNN. The first count, said the AP, carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, while the second and third could bring 20-year terms each.

Parker worked at the Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado until she was fired when she tested positive for the powerful painkiller Fentanyl, said the Denver Post, and is also accused of injecting herself with painkillers designated for patients. Parker would inject herself with Fentanyl, and then refill the tainted syringes with saline, the Denver Post added.

After being fired from Rose Medical Center, Parker worked at the Audubon Ambulatory Surgery Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said the Denver Post.

Parker was allegedly found in an operating room where she was not permitted access, said CNN. She later tested positive for Fentanyl. According to the Associated Press (AP), Parker admitted to swapping syringes containing Fentanyl with saline.

CNN reported that Parker admitted to conducting the secret injections in a bathroom while working at Rose Medical Center. Parker, who is infected with hepatitis C, said she thinks she contracted the blood borne pathogen as a result of heroin use and sharing dirty needles in 2008, when she lived in New Jersey, said CNN.

The complaint was filed late last week in U.S. District Court in Denver, said the AP, which also reported that an affidavit by Mary F. LaFrance, an investigator for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that at least nine surgery patients at Rose Medical Center have tested positive for hepatitis C, which is incurable. Now, said the AP, 6,000 patients are being advised they may have been exposed to the dangerous, sometimes deadly disease, and must undergo testing.

The AP reported that, to date, nine Rose Medical Center patients have tested positive for hepatitis C, but it remains unknown if Parker is the source of the contamination. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood, and is a liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the disease can be fatal. The AP pointed out that while incurable, hepatitis C is treatable; symptoms include “nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, pain, and jaundice.”

About 1,200 patients may have been infected between May 4, 2009, and July 1, 2009, when Parker worked at Audubon Ambulatory Surgical Center in Colorado Springs, said CNN, which added that Audubon is contacting its patients. The remainder of potentially contaminated patients are being advised by Rose Medical Center, where Parker worked from October 21, 2008 until April, said the AP. Parker was suspended on April 13 and was later fired, said the AP.

Hepatitis Outbreak at Atlantic City Hospital

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Fifteen dialysis patients at a hospital in Atlantic City have been diagnosed with hepatitis C and health officials in New Jersey are unclear about the origin of the outbreak. Philly.com reports that the 15 patients contracted the serious, sometimes deadly, liver disease since 2005 at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center.

According to Philly.com, administrators from the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s City Campus contacted the state this month after learning about the five recent cases of hepatitis C during an annual federally mandated hepatitis C testing of dialysis patients. The testing took place late last month and early this month and revealed that the five became positive for hepatitis C since they began undergoing treatment at AtlantiCare, said Philly.com, which noted that the Health Department said a link to the hospital has not yet been established.

Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and can result in an acute illness, but most often becomes chronic and can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer, explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); there is no vaccination for hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person.

The state advised the hospital to review its past four years of patient records, which indicated that 10 other people also have hepatitis C, said Philly.com. The hospital confirmed that the 15 were part of a group of 245 patients. The hospital’s head of the division of nephrology, Mohammed Mourad, said it does not yet know how the patients contracted the liver disease.

According to Philly.com, New Jersey health officials indicate that, in 2007, that state saw over 100 acute and 7,000 chronic hepatitis C cases, adding that the Center’s dialysis unit treats between 70 to 80 kidney patients monthly, with patients visiting the center three times weekly for dialysis. Dialysis involves, says Philly.com, the patient’s blood being pumped into a dialysis machine, where it is filtered and returned to the patient’s body; dialysis machines at the center are inspected once every two years. The hospital maintains it follows “strict guidelines,” said Philly.com, that include disinfection and cleaning of the equipment, according to Rachel Davis Bohs, AtlantiCare's director of infection prevention and control.

The hospital, the state, and Atlantic County health officials are conducing an investigation to determine the cause of the virus, said Philly.com. Meanwhile, data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) indicates that the dialysis center has a lower-than-average patient survival rate when compared to the state.

Most recently, alleged malpractice at the Siouxland Urology Center in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota seems to be the culprit in exposing 6,000 patients to HIV and hepatitis. As with a variety of other similar contaminations, Siouxland Urology reused single use medical products, potentially passing on serious diseases to other patients. In a similar case in which medical equipment was rinsed—not sterilized—shoddy colonoscopies and endoscopies at Veterans Administration facilities exposed over 10,000 military veterans to HIV and hepatitis B and C following exposure to tainted equipment, with four patients testing positive for HIV, six for hepatitis B, and 19 for hepatitis C. At least one patient consulted with malpractice attorneys and more are expected.

Veteran Diagnosed with HIV Following Botched Procedure at VA Hospital

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Late last month we wrote that thousands of military veterans might have been exposed to dangerous, life-threatening pathogens from shoddy colonoscopies and endoscopies they underwent as long as five years ago. Now, the Associated Press (AP) reports one patient has tested positive for HIV following exposure to tainted equipment at a Veterans Administration (VA) medical facility.

HIV and hepatitis B and C are spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. HIV—the human immunodeficiency virus—is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome); AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. Hepatitis B and C are liver diseases that can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. Vaccines exist only for hepatitis B. HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis B can all lead to death.

According to the AP, the VA previously stated that hepatitis B and C were diagnosed in 16 patients, but argued that it would be impossible to determine if contamination occurred at VA facilities. At least one patient consulted with malpractice attorneys and more are expected. The man, who is in his 50s, tested positive for hepatitis C; he and his lawyers believe a colonoscopy at the Murfreesboro VA two years prior to be the culprit, said WSMV last month. Now, the long-married father must endure protected sex with his wife for the rest of their lives, it noted.

The VA acknowledged in warnings letters to over 10,000 veterans who had received the invasive procedures in the past five years, that they were potentially exposed to other patients’ bodily fluids and should be tested for diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, said the AP in an earlier report. Also, the VA admitted in late March that water tubes and reservoirs it used in colonoscopies and endoscopies were rinsed—not disinfected—between procedures, which could expose subsequent patients to contamination.

The Washington Times reported that following its confirmation that the first round of tests found one veteran tested positive for HIV, the VA said, "These results do not indicate that there is any relationship between these patients' conditions and the endoscopy procedures they underwent… However, VA is conducting an epidemiologic investigation to look into the possibility of such a relationship." The VA also admitted that three of its hospitals did not appropriately sterilize colonoscopy equipment on a variety of occasions since 2003: Murfreesboro, Tennessee (April 2003 to December 2008), Augusta, Georgia (January 2008 to November 2008), and Miami, Florida (May 2004 through March 2009), said the Washington Times, which also noted that 3,174 test results have been received to date.

WSMV said in an earlier report that late last year the VA found a wrong tubing valve might have been used during procedures as far back as April 2003, which could have resulted in body fluid transmission between patients.

This January, the VA finished a report on the problem in Murfreesboro, including the cause for equipment switches, incorrect equipment use, and improper sterilization processes, said WSMV; however, the VA insisted that, in the majority of cases “unclear product instructions” from Olympus—the equipment provider—are to blame for the potential spread of deadly infections.

NJ Oncologist Linked to Hepatitis Outbreak Has License Suspended

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The New Jersey oncologist who potentially exposed thousands of patients to serious, life-threatening diseases including hepatitis B and C and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has had his license to practice medicine suspended, effective immediately, and on an emergency basis, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting.

According to a prior AP article, New Jersey health officials confirmed that about 3,000 people treated by Dr. Parvez Dara must undergo testing for the blood borne diseases after five of his patients reportedly tested positive for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a liver infection that can be transmitted through blood and blood products.

The state was looking to temporarily suspend Dara’s medical license said Asbury Park Press (APP) last week and Dara was scheduled to face the state Board of Medical Examiners Friday; regulators were also looking at a number of other health code violations.

While Dara’s attorney claims that the five patients also were seen at the same hospital and could have been contaminated there, health officials argued that the hospital was ruled out as an infection source. “The investigation looked at all sites where the patients received care…. The only common site was the physicians’ office,” said state Health Department spokeswoman Marilyn Riley, quoted the AP, last week.

But, Friday, investigators reported finding blood in a variety of areas in the doctor’s office including the floor of the chemotherapy room and in a bin that held blood vials, said the AP, which noted that the investigators also found open medicine vials, “unsterile saline and gauze” as well as cross-contamination of ”pens, refrigerators, and countertop; use of contaminated gloves; and misuse of antiseptics,” among other violations.

According to Deputy Attorney General Siobhen Krier, who was speaking to investigators, “This was not a one-time episode. This is a case of egregious, bad medical judgment displayed over a long period of time,” quoted the AP. Krier also said that Dara’s history of health code violations not only posed “a clear and imminent danger to the public,” but also was occurring as far back as 2002, said the AP, with Dara paying close to $56,000 in fines for infection control health code violations.

The committee said that Dara showed “a significant and gross deficiency in judgment,” that could not be corrected by merely changing his practices, said the AP. “Dr. Dara’s own testimony has not persuaded the committee that he has an appreciation for the gravity of multiple breaches of basic infection control practices,” the committee said in the license suspension order, quoted the AP.

APP reported last week that a 32-page court order requested late last month by Attorney General Anne Milgram sought “the suspension or revocation of the license of Respondent to practice medicine and surgery. It being alleged in the Complaint that Respondent is presently incapable of safely discharging the functions of a licensee and it being further alleged that the continued practice of medicine and surgery by Respondent pending final disposition of the Verified Complaint represents a clear and imminent danger to the public health safety and welfare.”

New Jersey Hepatitis B Outbreak Likely Linked to One Oncologist

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Thousands of patients of a New Jersey oncologist must undergo testing for some serious blood borne diseases such as hepatitis B; hepatitis C; and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

According to the Associated Press (AP), New Jersey health officials have confirmed that about 3,000 people treated by Dr. Parvez Dara must be tested for the diseases after five of his patients reportedly tested positive for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a liver infection that can be transmitted through blood and blood products.

The first two cases were confirmed in February and the remaining three were confirmed more recently. Dara has offices in Toms River and Manchester, New Jersey, the AP reported. Following the confirmation, health officials sent a letter—dated March 28—to all of Dara’s patients going back to 2002 and warning them of the risks of the blood borne diseases and urging them to receive testing, said the AP.

The source and cause of the transmission remain unclear, said the AP; however, Fox News reported that New Jersey health officials believe shoddy injection practices might be to blame. Dara, who treats cancer patients and patients with blood disorders, said the AP, administers chemotherapy, which is injected, at his offices, said Fox News.

The state is looking to temporarily suspend Dara’s medical license said Asbury Park Press (APP) and Dara is scheduled to face the state Board of Medical Examiners today, said Fox News; the regulators will also look at the possibility of other health code violations. For now, Dara is not performing procedures and is only handling patient consultations, the AP reported.

While Dara’s attorney claims that the five patients also were seen at the same hospital and claims they could have been contaminated there, health officials argued that the hospital was ruled out as an infection source. "The investigation looked at all sites where the patients received care.... The only common site was the physicians' office," said state Health Department spokeswoman Marilyn Riley, quoted the AP.

APP reported that a 32-page court order requested late last month by Attorney General Anne Milgram sought "the suspension or revocation of the license of Respondent to practice medicine and surgery. It being alleged in the Complaint that Respondent is presently incapable of safely discharging the functions of a licensee and it being further alleged that the continued practice of medicine and surgery by Respondent pending final disposition of the Verified Complaint represents a clear and imminent danger to the public health safety and welfare.”

The APP indicated that officials for the state Department of Health and Senior Services and the Ocean County Health Department conducted the investigation. Letters were sent to 2,800 former and current patients of Dara.

Patients in possession of the health department’s letter, an insurance card, and identification can obtain blood testing at one of Community Medical Center’s outpatient labs (contact Ocean County Health Department at 1-732-341-9700 ext 7502 for locations); appointment are not required, said APP. Patients are also free to have blood testing conducted at their own health car provider.

Vets Endangered by Improperly Sterilized Equipment

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Even though the Veterans Administration (VA) isn't saying much, it seems as if thousands of military veterans might have been exposed to dangerous, life-threatening pathogens from colonoscopies and endoscopies they underwent as long as five years ago. The Associated Press (AP) reports that military veterans in the southern United States are awaiting word about potential and serious infections.

WSMV reports that no less than 10 patients have tested positive for hepatitis B or C or HIV. At least one man has consulted with malpractice attorneys and more are expected. The man, who is in his 50s, tested positive for hepatitis C; he and his lawyers believe a colonoscopy at the Murfreesboro Veterans Administration two years prior to be the culprit, said WSMV. Now, the long-married father must endure protected sex with his wife for the rest of their lives, it noted.

The VA won’t say exactly what happened, but did acknowledge in warnings to veterans who had received the invasive procedures in the past five years that they were potentially exposed to other patients’ bodily fluids and should be tested for diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, said the AP.

The VA admitted this week that the water tubes and reservoirs it used in colonoscopies and endoscopies were rinsed—not disinfected—between procedures. This practice could expose subsequent patients to contamination, said the Miami Herald. In south Florida alone, over 3,000 veterans underwent medical procedures since 2004 in which the improper processes were followed, said the Miami Herald; Boston.com reported that up to 9,000 patients may have been contaminated. WSMV reported that, late last year, the VA found a wrong tubing valve might have been used during procedures as far back as April 2003, which could have resulted in body fluid transmission between patients.

This January, the VA finished a report on the problem in Murfreesboro, including the cause for equipment switches, incorrect equipment use, and improper sterilization processes, said WSMV; however, the VA insisted that, in the majority of cases—seven out of 10 factors cited—the problem was with the equipment manufacturer, Olympus. According to WSMV, the VA said that "unclear product instructions" from Olympus are to blame for the potential spread of deadly infections.

Now, the government has become involved. "We owe these folks the highest obligation because they have protected our country; we should protect them," said U.S. Representative Jim Cooper (Democrat-Nashville). "So Congress needs to do whatever it takes to make sure all of our veterans are safe," He told WSMV.

Boston.com reported that Senator John F. Kerry (D-Mass) asked the VA’s inspector general to initiate an inspection of sanitation procedures at VA hospitals, saying in a statement that, “The Veterans Administration has inherited a tragic situation, and a full review is needed so we can find out how this happened, correct the situation, and make sure it never happens again…. The Obama Administration has already … taken responsibility.”

The Miami Herald reported that VA hotlines and clinics in Florida received thousands of calls and hundreds of visits from worried veterans looking to schedule testing following the VA’s announcement earlier this week.

Health Workers Expose 60,000 to Hepatitis

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

A recent federal report found that over 60,000 people were exposed and about 400 were infected with hepatitis because of lapses in injection safety practices, reports the Associated Press (AP). The contaminations involved 33 outbreaks and were mostly caused by violations of simple safety standards, said the AP.

It seems that syringe reuse is the major culprit. Apparently, a number of health care workers believed that discarding used needles was sufficient to prevent the transmission of deadly blood borne diseases, and continued administering injections with the same syringe barrel, thus enabling the potential for infection transmission. Contamination can occur in the medicine vial and in the barrel when shots are administered in this manner, noted the AP.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called the shoddy injection practice trend “a wider and growing problem.” One such example of such a health care practioner cited by Newsday wasHarvey Finkelstein,the Dix Hills, NY doctor who in 2007 was blamed for exposing thousands and infecting at least one because of his negligent practices.

Authors of the study concluded that all the infectious outbreaks were caused by "failure of health care personnel to adhere to fundamental principles of infection control," quoted Newsday. The piece was published in a recent issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine

Mentioned in the piece was Finkelstein, who, in addition to exposing and infecting patients, was observed by health officials reusing syringes in multidose vials. Also cited was the Nevada endoscopy clinic that put 40,000 patients at risk for hepatitis contamination, reported Newsday. In that case, said the Wall Street Journal, six patients contracted hepatitis C.

The researchers also note that the CDC’s findings represent just a small piece of a larger problem and point out that part of the problem has to do with “a lack of oversight,” according to chief study author Nicola Thompson, said Newsday. "Outpatient settings often do not have the same type of focus on prevention and infection control. There's been a lack of oversight," Newsday quoted Thompson as saying.

According to the WSJ and based on CDC data, one of the leading causes of infection in outpatient settings, such as doctors offices and long-term care facilities, is shoddy injection practices. The Journal reported that it is not necessarily healthcare workers understanding that needles cannot be reused, but rather, their knowledge that syringes must be disposed after use, which means that those in the health care industry are not always following the CDC’s guidelines for injection administration. As a matter-of-fact, the CDC and others are kicking off a "One Needle, One Syringe, Only One Time" campaign next week, to bring education around the issue.

Blood borne diseases can be transmitted when an infected person is given a shot and either the needle or syringe is reused. Microscopic backflow can enter the syringe from the contaminated person and then also enter a multi-use medicine vial, which puts future patients at risk from the needle, the syringe, and the multi-use vials explained the Journal. Hepatitis C is the most common chronic blood borne viral infection in the U.S. said the CDC, with about 3.2 million Americans suffering from lifelong, chronic infection; about 1.4 million Americans are infected with chronic hepatitis B. Both forms can lead to liver disease and death.

CDC: Poor Infection Control Put Patients at Risk for Hepatitis B, C

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have just announced that, based on its decade-long review, it seems that over 60,000 patients have been placed at risk for potentially deadly, blood-borne infectious diseases.

According to the CDC, over the past ten years, tens of thousands of American patients have been asked to undergo hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) testing because proper infection control practices were not followed. This is the first time a complete review of CDC investigations has been conducted in 10 years of such viral outbreaks, it said. The findings appear in this week’s issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

The CDC’s director of its Division of Viral Hepatitis, Dr. John Ward said, “This report is a wake-up call. Thousands of patients are needlessly exposed to viral hepatitis and other preventable diseases in the very places where they should feel protected. No patient should go to their doctor for health care only to leave with a life-threatening disease.” The CDC review of outbreak data indicated that, in the past 10 years, there were 33 identified outbreaks outside of hospitals in 15 states, with 12 occurring in outpatient clinics, six in hemodialysis centers, and 15 in long-term care facilities, totaling in 450 people acquiring HBV or HCV infections.

The CDC reported that patients were exposed to the viruses because health care personnel did not follow basic infection control procedures and “aseptic” techniques in injection safety. It has long been considered routine for patients to be subjected to the transmission of such infections while receiving health care and the CDC explained that syringe reuse and medication, equipment, and device blood contamination were common reasons for the exposure problems.

According to Dr. Denise Cardo, CDC’s director of its Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, “More and more patients in the United States receive their health care in outpatient settings. To protect patients, infection control training, professional oversight, licensing, innovative engineering controls, and public awareness are needed in these health care settings.” Officials at the CDC also pointed out that the results of the study confirm a need for healthcare providers to undergo professional education and consistent state oversight in the area of detecting and preventing the transmission of blood-borne pathogens in such health care settings.

The CDC said it is collaborating with its partners by improving viral hepatitis surveillance, case investigation, and outbreak response; strengthening state and local viral hepatitis prevention programs; augmenting its National Healthcare Safety Network; partnering with the Hepatitis Outbreaks’ National Organization for Reform (HONOReform) to create patient and provider education materials; continuing its educational outreach efforts with professional nursing and anesthesiology organizations; working with partners in dialysis, diabetes, and long-term care communities; coordinating with regulators and professional societies to strengthen licensure and accreditation processes with emphasis on safe injection practices; and exploring ways to improve curricula in nursing and medical schools related to safe health care practices.

FDA Rejects Multidose Syringe Ban

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has, according to a report by Newsday.com, “rejected an appeal” to ban manufacture of multi-dose vials. The appeal originated from New York State health commissioner, Dr. Richard Daines, in which he requested a ban of the vials; Eschenbach disagreed, saying the vials are critical in hospital use, reports Newsday.

At the beginning of this year, Daines, in collaboration with New York City's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, sent von Eschenbach a letter that urged the FDA to cease manufacture and distribution of the vials, said Newsday. The two sent the January 18 letter following the much-publicized scandal involving Dix Hills Doctor, Harvey Finkelstein, whose shoddy injection practices put thousands of his patients at risk, infecting at least one patient with hepatitis C. Although illegal on federal and state levels, Finkelstein reused the vials in such a way that medication in at least one vial was tainted, sickening at least one patient, notes Newsday.

When news broke of the Dix Hills Doctor scandal, the health department came under fire for its legal delays and complex lab practices that allowed the problem to remain unreported for years; it took the health department three years to advise the public of Finkelstein’s shoddy and illegal injection practices, says Newsday. The health department was also strongly criticized by patient advocates after it was revealed it negotiated with Finkelstein for his office records, a process that helped delay public notification to over 10,000 of Finkelstein’s patients for an incredible three years. Finkelstein’s malpractice record alone—he has settled an unprecedented 11 malpractice lawsuits inside of a decade—should have prompted an investigation by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), the health department agency that investigates doctors. It didn’t. In Finkelstein's case, a hearing was never held and the doctor was placed under state monitoring for three years. Finkelstein continues to practice.

Newsday reported that in the letter, Daines and Frieden wrote that despite "numerous guidelines and recommendations," there remain doctors whose improper practices do lead to contamination of multi-dose vials. Daines argues that, according to the Newsday piece, it is better to "engineer out" human error by eliminating multi-dose vials.

von Eschenbach’s written response dated October 20 stated that the vials "are an important dosage option for hospital pharmacies," quoted Newsday, which also said that von Eschenbach added that multi-dose vials are cheaper and “require less storage space.” The FDA suggests adding a warning statement and instructions on proper usage, instead of banning the vials, said Newsday. Newsday also reported that Daines said he was frustrated by von Eschenbach’s and the FDA’s response: "I don't think they understood the problem." Daines explained that the issue is not hospital misuse but misuse by physicians, "I would like safety engineered into the product," he is quoted as saying in Newsday.com. Regardless, Daines said he planned on continuing to work on the issue when the new presidential administrations steps into office this January. In the meantime, Newsday reports, the state can not “be sued for the Department of Health's slow response to the Finkelstein case” based on a Court of Claims judge ruling that was just made public.

Nearly 100 Infected with Hepatitis C at Las Vegas Endoscopy Center

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

To date, officials have linked 84 cases of Hepatitis C that have turned up in Las Vegas to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, where all those infected received treatment. A CDC report released Friday officially confirms the cause of the outbreak and—based on state and federal officials’ observations of patient procedures at the clinic—details a variety of unsanitary practices, including nurses’ and anesthesiologists’ failing to perform basic hand hygiene when administering intravenous medications.

State health officials contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) when two patients treated at the clinic were later diagnosed with Hepatitis C. The clinic recommended that 50,000 of the clinics’ patients be tested, which is when the 84 cases were confirmed.

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada routinely reused syringes on multiple patients, a negligent practice which exposed thousands of patients to blood borne diseases, including Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. All of these diseases are extremely debilitating and can be fatal. The Hepatitis injury lawyers at our firm want to hold the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada accountable for the gross negligence that occurred there. It is our contention that the clinic should be responsible for any medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering caused by this negligence. Our Hepatitis injury lawyers will work hard to ensure victims of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada receive the compensation they deserve.

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada is one of the largest such gastroenterology practices in the area. The center was closed and fined $500,000 after the Nevada State Health Division discovered several cases of hepatitis C that appeared to originate in the clinic earlier this year. Two of the center’s doctors, including its owner, Depak Desai, have been suspended from practicing medicine.

The outbreak caught the attention of law enforcement authorities, including the Nevada attorney general, who are now undertaking investigations and under the presumption that the clinic may be also guilty of fraud.

Hepatitis C is a blood disorder transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, such as that which occurred when practitioners at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada reused syringes. Hepatitis C is, for the most part, asymptomatic; however, approximately 70% of those infected will develop serious liver disease. Hepatitis C is a risk factor for liver cancer and can lead to the need for a liver transplant.

Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and HIV may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients. A syringe would become contaminated by the backflow of blood when patients with a blood-borne disease were injected with medication. That syringe, in turn, would be reused to withdraw medication from a different vial. That vial could become contaminated and result in infection. Several nurses and other practitioners at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada admitted to health investigators that they reused syringes at the direction of the clinic's management. Reusing syringes violates medical standards for infection control. Our Hepatitis injury lawyers will work hard to make sure the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada is held accountable for this negligence.

Nearly 100 Patients of Nevada Clinic Positive for HIV, Hepatitis, and More are Expected

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada could be responsible for blood borne infections diagnosed in at least 100 former patients. Most of those victims contracted hepatitis or HIV following treatment at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, and now health officials in that state are trying to determine if those infections originated with the clinic's unsanitary practices. What's worse, the 100 people already diagnosed with blood borne diseases might just be the tip of the iceberg, as health officials in Nevada fear as many as 40,000 people treated by the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada were exposed to infections.

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada has been under investigation since early January, after health officials learned of three people who had been diagnosed with hepatitis C. At that time the Southern Nevada Health District said a total of six people were known to have contracted hepatitis C after being treated at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. Five of them were treated the same day in late September; the sixth is believed to have been infected in July, the district said. The Southern Nevada Health District investigation revealed that “unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication might have exposed patients to the blood of other patients.”

The hepatitis C virus may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients, the district said. A syringe would become contaminated by the backflow of blood when patients with a blood-borne disease were injected with medication, health officials said. That syringe, in turn, would be reused to withdraw medication from a different vial. That vial could become contaminated and result in infection.

Several Nevada trial lawyers have told the Las Vegas Review Journal that they are representing hepatitis and HIV patients who believe they were infected at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. These victims are among the first to have received test results back after the Southern Nevada Health District sent letters warning patients of the clinic to get tested for hepatitis and HIV. So far, more people have tested positive for these disease than anyone expected.

One lawyer told the Review Journal that he was now representing 52 people, while another is representing 20 clients. Still another attorney said he was representing 25 former patients of the Endoscopy Center. Most have tested positive for hepatitis C, although the lawyers said some were HIV positive.

Health officials have urged 40,000 patients of the Endoscopy Center to get blood tests for HIV and hepatitis strains B and C. Health investigators estimate 4 percent of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada's patients will end up testing positive for hepatitis C.

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada was closed and fined $3,000 because of these practices. The owner of the clinic, prominent gastroenterologist Dipak Desai, has refused to answer questions about the outbreak. Unlike some nurses at the clinic, Desai has not surrendered his medical license. He agreed to “voluntarily cease the practice of medicine” until the state Board of Medical Examiners completes its investigation.

Nevada Hepatitis C Outbreak Tied to Las Vegas Clinic. Thousands Now At Risk for Hepatitis, HIV

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Hepatitis C and other blood borne diseases now threaten thousands of people in Nevada, thanks to the unsafe way anesthesia was administered at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. At least six people who received treatment at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada have already tested positive for Hepatitis C, but health officials in the state have urged another 40,000 to be tested for the virus, as well as HIV.

Hepatitis C is a blood disorder that is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. Hepatitis C for the most part is asymptomatic and often leads to chronic, and long-term infection resulting in approximately 70% of those infected developing liver disease. Hepatitis C is a risk factor for liver cancer and can lead to the need for a liver transplant. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, and is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, including blood-to-blood contact.

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada Health has been under investigation since early January, after health officials learned of three people who had been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. According to the Southern Nevada Health District, a total of six people contracted Hepatitis C after being treated at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. Five of them were treated the same day in late September; the sixth is believed to have been infected in July, the district said. The Southern Nevada Health District investigation revealed that “unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication might have exposed patients to the blood of other patients,” the statement said.

The Hepatitis C virus may have been spread when clinic staff reused syringes and used a single dose of anesthesia medication on multiple patients, the district said. A syringe would become contaminated by the backflow of blood when patients with a blood-borne disease were injected with medication, health officials said. That syringe, in turn, would be reused to withdraw medication from a different vial. That vial could become contaminated and result in infection.

The Southern Nevada Health District said that the unsafe practices had been in place for several years at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, 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. The Southern Nevada Health Districts patient notification will be the largest of its kind in the country.

This is not the first time an outbreak of Hepatitis was blamed on medical practitioners who reused syringes or reused multidose vials of anesthesia on more than one patient. Late last year, the New York State Department of Health warned thousands of people treated by Long Island anesthesiologist Harvey Finkelstein that they were at risk for Hepatitis C, B and HIV. Finkelstein also was known to reuse syringes. At least one person is known to have contracted Hepatitis C as a result of Finkelstein's unsanitary practices, and another six patients tested positive for the disease, although it is not absolutely certain that the virus was the result of Finkelstein's treatment. Another six tested positive for Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis A Warning Issued for Madonna, Demi, Ashton and Others Who Frequent Socialista in NYC

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Hepatitis A was apparently the unwelcome guest at a star-studded party held at a posh New York City nightclub earlier this month. New York City health officials have reportedly warned Madonna, Demi Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow and other A-list attendees of star Ashton Kutcher's 30th birthday bash at Socialista that they may have been exposed to Hepatitis A. They -- and anyone else who made a visit to Socialista on three nights in early February -- have been advised to get a Hepatitis A vaccine as a precaution.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection. The virus is found in the stool of infected people, and can be spread if they do not wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom. Symptoms of Hepatitis A include low-grade fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, yellowing of the skin, dark brown urine, loss of appetite and fatigue. Symptoms of Hepatitis A can last from two to nine months. Once someone has been infected with Hepatitis A, there is no real treatment. Usually, bed rest is prescribed, and efforts are made to make the patient’s symptoms more tolerable until the disease runs its course. In some instances, a patient will be hospitalized to treat dehydration or liver problems. Sometimes patients with a severe case of Hepatitis A will require a liver transplant.

According to the New York City Department of Health, a bartender who worked at the West Village nightclub on February 7, February 8 and February 11 has tested positive for Hepatitis A. Kutcher's birthday party was held at Socialist on February 7. A health department official told The New York Times that as many as 1,000 other people might have been at Socialista on those nights. The restaurant has turned over lists of names from 30 to 40 reservations made on those nights, but the department has not gone through credit card receipts.

Health officials said yesterday the department had learned of the case on Tuesday and on Wednesday had sent an inspector to Socialista, at 505 West Street, between Jane and Horatio Streets. According to the New York Times, the health department issued what it called a “precautionary notification” after the inspector reported that no soap was available for hand washing at the restaurant.

Immune globulin (IG), a preparation of antibodies can prevent Hepatitis A if it is administered within two weeks of exposure. The New York City Health Department is offering Hepatitis A vaccines to Socialista attendees. The department will give the vaccinations at Public School 41, at 116 West 11th Street on Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Outbreaks of Hepatitis A have been linked to popular restaurants in the past. The largest Hepatitis A outbreak in US history occurred in Pennsylvania in 2005. More than 500 people contracted Hepatitis A, and three died after eating at a Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurant. That outbreak was linked to tainted green onions.

Nearly 100 Infected with Hepatitis C at Las Vegas Endoscopy Center

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

To date, officials have linked 84 cases of Hepatitis C that have turned up in Las Vegas to the Edoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, where all those infected received treatment. A CDC report released Friday officially confirms the cause of the outbreak and—based on state and federal officials’ observations of patient procedures at the clinic—details a variety of unsanitary practices, including nurses’ and anesthesiologists’ failing to perform basic hand hygiene when administering intravenous medications.

HIV Transplant Attracts Federal Scrutiny, As Attorney Alleges Donor's High Risk Status Not Revealed to Patient

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Federal officials want to know how HIV infected organs ended up transplanted into four Chicago patients, and have joined Illinois officials in their investigation of the HIV transplant. Meanwhile, an attorney for a woman who received one of the HIV transplants has said that his client is a “mess” and was never told that the kidney she received came from a donor who was considered at high risk for blood borne diseases.

Four patients who received organ transplants in January at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center and the University Of Chicago Medical Center contracted HIV and Hepatitis C from organs that came from the same donor. The HIV infected organs where provided by Gift of Hope, which has acknowledged that the donor was considered “high risk”. Gift of Hope determined the donor’s status through a personal and social history. High-risk behaviors include gay men having sex within the past five years, people having sex for money or drugs within the past five years, and intravenous use of recreational drugs within the past five years. The Centers for Disease Control says people in any of these categories should be excluded as organ donors unless the need outweighs the risks.

While the donor, who died of an undisclosed traumatic injury, tested negative for HIV, it is believed that the infection was too recent to be detected by the test used. That test will not detect HIV if the infection occurred less than 22 days prior to the test. Another test that can detect HIV sooner is available, but it does not work as quickly. In most cases, an organ transplant must be performed quickly, making the alternative test impractical.

Late last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that it had joined an investigation into how four transplant recipients contracted HIV and hepatitis C from the single organ donor. CMS, a federal agency that regulates organ procurement, is checking whether three Chicago hospitals fully informed transplant recipients that the organ donor was at high risk of being infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.

But an attorney for one of the HIV recipients says his client, an unidentified woman, was never told that the organ donor was classified as high risk. The attorney also said that had she known, his client would have refused her kidney transplant, as she had once before declined a kidney from another high risk donor. The woman had been "doing great" on dialysis and had been on the donor waiting list for over six years, the attorney said. The attorney has already gone to court, requesting that officials keep a hospital and an organ procurement center from destroying or altering any records involving the donation.

The woman’s attorney said that his client has begun therapy with HIV medications, but that one of the side effects of those drugs is kidney damage. Prior to receiving the news that she now was HIV positive, the woman had been doing well and her kidney transplant appeared to be a success.

Ask tough questions about donor tissue

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Suppose you need a new knee. Spinal surgery for an aching slipped disc. Maybe a replacement valve for a leaky heart. These procedures often involve parts taken from someone who died. About 1 million such operations are done in the United States every year. Most are safe and successful.

But sometimes those donated body parts can carry dangerous diseases.

HIV, hepatitis, rabies, deadly bacteria and fungus are among the infections that have stricken some who've had tissue transplants in the last 15 years.

And that was before the ghoulish scandal in which a New Jersey company is accused of selling bones and tissue illegally obtained from the bodies of people too old or sick to be donors, including Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke, who died of cancer at 95.

It's not known whether cancer can be passed on from donated tissue, but Cooke's body was in no condition to be a donor source.

With lax regulation of the donated tissue industry, patients need to protect themselves if they are planning an operation using tissue from a cadaver.

"My focus is to tell people one thing: This can happen to you," said Steve Lykins, whose 23-year-old son died five years ago after a knee operation using donor tissue.

Ask lots of questions:

• If you need surgery to fix bones or tissue, ask whether donor body parts will be used, and whether there are alternatives. Some operations can be done using patients' own bone or tissue, although that's more invasive. Artificial tissue or animal tissue may also be options.

• If human donor tissue will be used, "Look (your) doctor in the eye and say, 'Do you know that this came from a certified tissue bank and that you're comfortable with where it came from?" advises Dr. Stuart Youngner, a medical ethicist at Case Western Reserve University. Companies that are accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks are required to follow that group's standards, including sophisticated testing for germs.

• Get the names of each company that retrieved, processed and distributed your tissue, and make sure each one is a member of the American Association of Tissue Banks.

• Have surgery done in an institution accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The commission has set detailed standards on tissue handling for hospitals and surgery centers it oversees.

Fungus: More than 500 heart valve transplants each year are thought to be contaminated with fungus, leading to an estimated 207 deaths a year.

Hepatitis C: Cases in 1992, 1995 and 2002. More than 40 people received contaminated organs or tissue after an Oregon tissue bank failed to detect the virus in a single donor in the 2002 outbreak. One died, probably as a result.

Hepatitis B: 1954. One tissue transplant.

HIV: 1983 and 1992. Four tissue transplants.

Clostridium, "flesh-eating," and other types of bacteria: November 2001. A Minnesota man's death led to discovery of more than 60 other bacteria-contaminated transplants in 20 states, including some tissues infected with multiple types of bacteria.

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV: Cases have occurred involving donated skin.West Nile virus: August 2002. Several organ recipients developed fever and altered mental status from virus-contaminated transplants.

Rabies: 2004. Three organ recipients and one tissue recipient died after contaminated transplants.

Chagas disease: April 2001. Three people caught this parasite, common in Latin America, from organ transplants from a common donor.

LCMV, a rodent virus: May 2005. Three people died after receiving contaminated organs. Others received tissue from the same donor. Three others died in December 2003 after receiving organs infected with LCMV.

Tuberculosis: 1953. One tissue transplant.
Spread through transplants

Many viruses, bacteria and other germs have spread to people through transplants of tissue from cadavers or organs from live donors.

MAN SUES OVER 'BODY SNATCHERS'

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

A Nebraska man has filed suit, claiming he caught hepatitis B and C from untested and illegally harvested tissue he received during back surgery.

Ned Jackson, of Omaha, says he's a casualty of a multimillion-dollar body-parts ring that operated out of New York and New Jersey and allegedly harvested bones and tissues from more than 1,000 corpses without proper consent or disease testing.

The suit, filed in Newark, N.J., seeks punitive damages and is one of at least two dozen filed nationwide against now-defunct Biomedical Tissue Services of Fort Lee, its owner, Michael Mastromarino, and others already facing criminal charges.

Jackson, however, is one of the few who have come forward claiming physical harm from the unscreened tissue. Many Hepatitis C patients develop chronic liver disease.

"Not only is he faced with a life sentence of liver disease that we believe came from the bone transplant, but he cannot remove these dreadful parts from his back," said his lawyer.

Tampa's first potential body-snatcher scandal victim steps forward

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

As Jeffrey King and his wife Nancy walk around their Town 'N Country backyard, they can only wonder: Does Jeffrey have HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis?

Last October, Jeffrey had a bone implanted in his jaw because a rotted tooth had damaged his jawbone. The bone came from a cadaver, and in November, his dentist told him he'd learned the bone was stolen and was never checked for disease.

"I actually had a consultation with my dentist. He sat me down, closed the doors, and said, 'I have something I need to talk to you about,' " Jeffrey recalled. "I'll tell you what, I didn't know what to think. I was totally shocked. I mean my jaw dropped, I was beside myself, I didn't even know what to ask him after that. I just sat there and went"

The implanted bone now in Jeffrey's jaw was allegedly stolen from a corpse by men working with Biomedical Tissue Services of Fort Lee, New Jersey. As we first reported earlier this week, the company's owner, Michael Mastromarino who happens to be a former dental surgeon has been indicted, along with an embalmer and two others who allegedly did the actual cutting.

Hundreds of people across the country could be walking around with HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis. But the 46-year-old businessman and longtime Tampa resident is the first potential victim we know of from the bay area.

Jeffrey contacted Action News after seeing Matthew's report Tuesday night, and he says his dentist told him there are three other patients who also have stolen body parts implanted.

"There are victims right here in the Tampa Bay area. And god only knows how many more victims there are in the Tampa Bay area," he continued.

Jeffrey's dentist apparently had no idea the bone was stolen until notified by Tutogen Medical, a tissue and bone processing plant near Gainesville. Tutogen got the bone from the now-closed Biomedical.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey King has not been tested for disease; the blood kit sent to him remains unopened.

"It's been sitting on my dresser for a month. And I'd look at it every day and I'd think, 'Do I really wanna know?' " he explained. "Since your interview two days ago, the show I watched, I've since scheduled my appointment with my doctor to have it done."

Meanwhile, sources in New York City say more arrests are expected in this ghoulish scandal.

Tissue scandal reaches UIHC

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Potentially harmful tissue used in transplant procedures for 30 UI Hospitals and Clinics patients will not alter screening practices at the hospital, a spokesman said Thursday.

UIHC surgeons had used tendon, bone, and skin grafts harvested by New Jersey-based Biomedical Tissue Services in various transplant procedures before the firm was accused of bribing funeral directors to provide it with parts from embalmed cadavers without the consent of the families.

The allegations led the Food and Drug Administration to recall all the company's transplant material in October 2005.

The company also failed to follow proper procedures in sanitizing the tissue, causing concern that such diseases as syphilis, hepatitis B or C, or HIV 1 or 2 could have been transferred to patients receiving transplants.

Testing on 29 of the 30 UIHC transplant recipients yielded no diseases as a result of the illegally obtained material. The remaining patient has been contacted but has thus far chosen not to be tested, said UIHC media-relations coordinator Tom Moore.

The 30 patients who received the tissue in question were offered testing for diseases in their home communities. Moore said the UIHC was advised, and obliged, to offer the tests free of charge. Testing for all the potential diseases will cost around $200 per patient, or $6,000 total.

Despite the concerns, Moore said the screening process the tissue went through sanitizes the material, reducing the chance that a patient would acquire a disease from tissue implants.

The UIHC's tissue is processed by one of five procurement companies who sanitize the grafts before they are sent to hospitals.

Because the tissue procurers followed protocols and were unaware of the provider's practices, their business relationships with the UIHC have not been affected, Moore said.

"The criminal activity of [Biomedical Tissue Services] was the problem," he said. "The five companies and the hospitals are blameless in this episode."

Vincent Traynelis, a UIHC neurosurgeon who used Biomedical Tissue Services bone grafts for spinal fusion procedures in "about 12" of the 30 patients, said tissue-transplant material arrives ready for surgery from the procurement companies. While Traynelis stressed that the incident had a criminal element and was not a regulation problem, he said further scrutiny of harvesting and procuring practices would be beneficial.

Several patients nationwide, claiming to have contracted syphilis from the company's tissue transplants, have sued the company, with some naming participating hospitals and procurement companies as co-defendants.

Cedar Rapids medical-malpractice attorney John Riccolo said it would be difficult for a judge to hold hospitals accountable, even if patients indeed contracted a disease from the transplants.

"From my understanding, when the specimens get to the hospital, they already went through the process," he said. "Because the certifications have all been signed, a suit would more likely be brought against the originator of the specimen - or someone on the chain."

Flood Water Is Risky, Official Says

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Polk residents who are dealing with flooding need to watch for hidden dangers in the rising water.

They should keep their children from playing in flood water because of the risk of snakes, biting insects, electric shocks from fallen wires, and materials such as animal feces that could spread illness, said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department.

People who come in contact with dirty water, especially if they have open cuts or sores, should wash and rinse exposed areas. Toys that have been in flood water need to be disinfected, using one cup of bleach in one gallon of water, before children play with them.

Aside from those dangers, people are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and muscle pulls as they move furniture and other possessions out of harm's way.

And Haight said the situation, flooding that's caused damage or the threat of it -- could lead to stress and depression.

So far, Haight said he doesn't know of any hepatitis A outbreaks. One hepatitis A case did occur at a day care recently, but he said it wasn't shown to be flood-related.

Polk, which typically has 15 to 30 cases of hepatitis A per year, has 13 this year.

"Even during the hurricanes, we didn't have what was clearly a flood-related illness," he said.

Actos Avandia Hepatitis Side Effect Attorney

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and produces a variety of symptoms. Often, hepatitis can be asymptomatic, producing no visible symptoms. Hepatitis A, B, C, and D are the most common types of hepatitis found in the United States.

Hepatitis can affect anyone. People that are at the greatest danger of contracting hepatitis include: intravenous drug users, health care workers, individuals with multiple sex partners, people who have contracted an STD in the past; and those living with a person who has a form of chronic hepatitis.

Common symptoms of Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E include: fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, muscle or joint pain, dark colored urine and jaundice. Good sanitation and hygiene, avoiding contaminated foods and water, practicing safe sex, getting vaccinated, not using intravenous drugs and not sharing personal products are all important measures to follow in avoiding Hepatitis.

Hepatitis A, or HAV, is spread through oral contact with infected fecal matter. Hepatitis A often causes an acute illness, however it is also possible for Hepatitis A to be asymptomatic (without symptoms). Hepatitis A can also be transmitted person-to-person via contact or from contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis B, or HBV, is passed through blood and body fluids (vaginal fluids, semen and saliva), and is generally contracted through sexual contact and the sharing of needles amongst intravenous drug users. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted mother-to-child in utero or at the time of delivery.
Hepatitis C, or HCV, is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact and can be passed mother-to-child. Less commonly, Hepatitis C can be transmitted through sexual contact. Hepatitis C for the most part is asymptomatic and often leads to chronic, and long-term infection resulting in approximately 70% of those infected developing liver disease.
Hepatitis D only occurs in those already infected with Hepatitis B.

Prescription medications can also bring about Hepatitis. Glucose-lowering drugs known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which include Actos and Avandia include Hepatitis as a side effect.

If you or a loved one has taken Actos or Avandia and been diagnosed with hepatitis, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified defective drug attorney.