Salem Hospital in Massachusetts has notified nearly 450 patients of potential hepatitis and HIV exposure due to improper IV drug administration. Mass General Brigham, the overseeing healthcare system, identified this isolated practice during endoscopies earlier this year and swiftly corrected it.
The involved individual, a contracted worker, no longer works at the hospital. Quality and infection control teams addressed the issue, with no reported infections to date.
Salem Hospital Addresses Potential Exposures
Salem Hospital's director of external communications, Adam Bagni, said that the hospital has reached out to potentially affected patients, offering complimentary screenings for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. These tests are considered standard for potential exposures of this nature, and a dedicated hotline staffed by clinicians has been established to address patient inquiries.
The potential exposures took place between June 14, 2021, and April 19, 2023, during endoscopies. An endoscopy involves inserting a tube-like instrument into the body to visualize internal organs and encompasses procedures like colonoscopies and gastrointestinal ultrasounds.
In an effort to prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, healthcare workers are advised by Dr. Shira Doron, chief infection control officer for the Tufts Medicine health system, to avoid reusing the same needle and syringe for different patients.
Additionally, precautions include refraining from capping used syringes with needles and ensuring other staff members do not mistakenly use them. Healthcare facilities are mandated to strictly adhere to sanitation standards for needles, syringes, and equipment before use.
While Mass General Brigham's statement did not provide details on the exact nature of the improper practice that posed a risk to endoscopy patients, Geoff Millar, a patient involved, reported that a piece of equipment intended for single use was reused during his procedure.
This incident, concerning a component necessary for administering anesthesia rather than the IV needle or endoscopy tube, has reportedly led to the initiation of a class-action lawsuit against Salem Hospital.
What Are Bloodborne Pathogens?
Bloodborne pathogens include microorganisms carried in blood, potentially causing diseases like malaria, syphilis, brucellosis, and notably, Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Transmission of HBV and HIV occurs due to contact with infected human blood and other potentially infectious body fluids, including semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva (in dental procedures), and visibly blood-contaminated body fluids.
Understanding the likely exposure and transmission scenarios is crucial in various contexts, whether providing first aid, handling blood samples in a laboratory, or cleaning up blood spills. Common transmission routes for HBV and HIV involve sexual contact, needle sharing, mother-to-baby transmission, accidental punctures from contaminated needles or sharps, contact between damaged skin and infected fluids, and contact between mucous membranes and infected body fluids.
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