- It appears that the hospital "two stepped"
around this horrendous situation of infected cancer patients, hoping not
to divulge the facts of human error which lead to the infection. They admit
to 7 patients infected.
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- I am quite sure that the HCV rate is climbing in other
countries as well due to noscominally transmitted HCV. In third world
countries where reusing needles is common place, there must be a large
number of people who are infected within the hospital setting. In Africa,
the numbers of cases of people infected with Aids/HCV is alarming.
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- Contrary to the CDC's information, THERE IS NO CURE for
Hepatitis C (HCV.) Interferon or combo of Interferon - Ribaviran is NOT
a cure for HCV.
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- I estimate that over 3% of the US population has been
exposed to HCV. Worldwide, well over 5% of the population is infected.
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- A diagnosis of Hepatitis C IS a DEATH SENTENCE and hospitals
need to take every precaution to ensure HCV is not spreading.
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- Patricia Doyle
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- Spain - Hospital Transmission Of HCV In Cancer
Unit
- El Mundo
7-25-4
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- Translated from Spanish by Jorge Gonzales Mendoza
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- The Patient Protection Office, for Madrid Community,
has opened an investigation in order to determine how 7 cancer patients
contracted hepatitis C virus at the Hospital de Alcorcon Foundation. The
hepatitis C outbreak has been denounced by various organizations, and,
reported to the local Attorney's office .
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- Virgilo Castilla, spokesman for the hospital, who was
its medical manager up until one month ago, and, who was present when the
infections occurred in December 2003, confirmed that there were 7 infected
patients, but, also, that there was no documentation of these infections
until last February [2004], when laboratory tests were carried out. Following
the test results, an internal investigation was opened at the Hospital,
and, approximately at the beginning of March 2004, the occurrences were
reported to the Health Council, which opened another "external investigation."
The conclusions of the external investigation have not been made public.
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- Several hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain
the outbreak, and it is anticipated that, in August 2004, a definitive
report about the circumstances under which these infections occurred will
be issued. Dr. Castilla said that the most feasible explanation was that
the 7 patients infected were part of a group, comprising 18 cancer patients,
who were together in the same Hospital Department. The definitive confirmation
of this outbreak was the presence of a source patient, a person who has
had hepatitis C infection for quite a long time, said Dr. Castilla.
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- The hospital, whose investigation is scheduled to be
completed in August 2004, recognizes that there was human error involved,
pointing out that the protocol for preventing infections, which states
that the use of disposable materials, and careful device cleaning practices,
"was not complied with at some time, and, according to the 1st hypothesis,
certain materials could have contaminated other material." Dr. Castilla
affirmed that there was no needle, or syringe, re-utilization. He gave
assurances that the Alcorcon Hospital "reinforced" the protocol
that mandates that used surgical materials be disposed of properly, and
stated that, until now, the investigation has not been able to determine
who was responsible for the infection.
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- Margarita Retuerto, an officer from the Patient Protection
Office in Madrid, said that investigating this outbreak is a "high
priority" for her office, and, she confirmed that an official investigation
"has already been started" in order to determine the causes,
and the circumstances, of this infection. Ms. Retuerto offered a "full
guarantee" for patients and relatives that the conclusions of the
investigation will be released "quickly and clearly," and that
"all responsibilities will be established" on the basis of the
aforementioned conclusions.
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- _____
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- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, because it is primarily
transmitted via blood, presents risks for both nosocomial transmission
to patients, and, occupational spread to health care workers. Hemodialysis
patients, in particular, are recognized as a group at increased risk of
infection with HCV. Barril and Traver (Antiviral Res. 2003 Oct;60(2):129-34)
reported recently that, in a Multicenter Spanish Study on HCV in Dialysis,
strict adherence to universal infection control precautions proved to be
adequate to prevent nosocomial transmission of HCV. Time was the most important
factor (although interacting with the isolation measures) and was independent
of initial HCV prevalence. A thorough analysis of this type may be necessary
to identify the breakdown in infection control that led to the spread of
hepatitis C virus among patients in the cancer treatment unit described
above. - Mod.CP
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- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD Please visit my "Emerging
Diseases" message board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
- Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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