THOUSANDS of patients are at risk of HIV and hepatitis B and C after a medic allegedly violated infection control rules.
More than 2,400 people may have been exposed to the potentially deadly blood-borne diseases while being given intravenous anaesthetic in hospitals across Portland, Oregon in the United States.
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This includes Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Providence Portland Medical Center and other non-Providence hospitals.
Those affected are being contacted and advised to get tested.
Healthcare provider Providence said in a statement: “We recently learned that Providence’s comprehensive infection control practices may not have been followed by a physician during some procedures at Portland-area hospitals.
“The physician was employed by Oregon Anesthesiology Group (OAG), which no longer provides services for Providence.
“The physician is no longer employed by OAG.
“The actions of this physician might have put patients at a low risk of exposure to possible infections, including hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).”
A spokesperson confirmed Providence was notifying “approximately” 2,200 patients seen at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center and two patients seen at Providence Portland Medical Center.
“These patients are receiving a mailed letter and/or a MyChart notification with further information,” they added.
“If patients do not receive a letter or MyChart notification, no action is needed.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are encouraging these patients to get a blood test to screen for the aforementioned infections, at no cost.
“If a patient tests positive, Providence will reach out to discuss their test results and next steps.
“Patient safety is our number one priority, and our patients have our full commitment to a thorough review of this issue and appropriate action.”
Meanwhile, Legacy Health has alerted 211 patients treated at the Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham that they may too have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne infections, KGW-TV reports.
“Upon learning of this situation, we immediately suspended the provider and launched a comprehensive investigation in accordance with regulations and with our policies and procedures,” it said.
OAG said it had suspended the anesthesiologist, who has not been named, after launching its own investigation, according to reports.
How you can spot HIV and hepatitis
HIV
HIV is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
In most cases, it spreads through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
Most people will experience flu-like symptoms two to six weeks after being infected.
This tends to include a sore throat, fever and a rash all over the body, which lasts one to two weeks.
After this, HIV may not cause any symptoms at all, but the virus continues to damage your immune system.
Some people go on to experience weight loss, night sweats, thrush in the mouth, an increase in herpes or cold sore outbreaks, swollen glands in the groin, neck or armpit, long-lasting diarrhoea, and tiredness.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is the term used to describe inflammation of the liver – usually the result of a viral infection or liver damage caused by drinking alcohol.
There are several types:
- Hepatitis A (usually caught by consuming food or drink contaminated with the poo of an infected person)
- Hepatitis B (spread in the blood of an infected person)
- Hepatitis C (usually spread through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person)
- Hepatitis D (usually spread through blood-to-blood contact or sexual contact – it only affects people already infected with hepatitis B)
- Hepatitis E (mainly associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat or offal, wild boar meat, venison and shellfish)
- Alcoholic hepatitis (caused by drinking excessive amounts of alcohol over many years)
- Autoimmune hepatitis (where the immune system attacks and damages the liver)
Short-term hepatitis often has no noticeable symptoms. But if they do develop, they can include:
- Muscle and joint pain
- A high temperature
- Feeling and being sick
- Feeling unusually tired all the time
- A general sense of feeling unwell
- Loss of appetite
- Tummy pain
- Dark urine
- Pale, grey-coloured poo
- Itchy skin
- Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
Source: NHS and Terrence Higgins Trust
“When we learned that the physician had violated infection control practices, we suspended him, informed our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and then began an investigation that resulted in the physician’s termination,” the group said.
“Even though the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The medic is understood to have worked at the two Providence facilities between 2017 and 2023, and at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Centre for six months, starting in December last year.
Oregon Health Authority said it is working with Legacy and Providence on “their investigations of breaches of infection control practices”.
So far “neither OHA nor the hospitals are aware of any reports of illness associated with this infection control breach”, it added.
It is unclear exactly how safety protocols were breached, but the OHA described the events as “unacceptable”.
Generally, healthcare facilities have strict standards for blood practices, including how to sanitise needles and other equipment.
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The affected medical centres
- Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City
- Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland
- Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham
