| Subject: 10 From Nebraska Clinic Have Hepatitis |
Author:
Associated Press
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Date Posted: Mon, October 21 2002, 7:25:31 PDT
In reply to:
Anna Lok, MD Thomas Shehab MD Mauricio Orrego, M.D. UMich
's message, "Doctors/Patients Not Following Through on Hepatitis C Screening" on Mon, July 30 2001, 8:16:52 PDT
10 From Neb. Clinic Have Hepatitis
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) - Hepatitis C was found in 10 patients treated at a cancer clinic where blood products were apparently mishandled, and 600 other patients were urged to get tested, health official said Wednesday.
Patient records were still being reviewed, but state epidemiologist Dr. Tom Safranek said an additional 10 patients may have become infected at Dr. Tahir Javed's hematology and oncology clinic.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne pathogen, and practices for controlling infection are clearly defined.
"Something broke down here," Safranek said. "The public needs to have full assurance this is not something they need to worry about when they seek medical care."
Investigators suspect the outbreak began with a patient who was infected before coming to the clinic, Safranek said.
Testing was urged for more than 600 other patients treated between March 2000 and December 2001. No one was in immediate danger, Safranek said.
In most patients, hepatitis C has no symptoms. It can cause liver failure but usually only after 20 years or more, Safranek said.
Javed's clinic was closed as of Monday, Fremont Area Medical Center officials said. They said he hadn't returned since going to his home country of Pakistan in July for a family medical emergency. His patients had been seen by another doctor since August.
The hospital was not under investigation.
Fremont is about 30 miles west of Omaha.
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