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July 02. 2012 8:19PM
Exeter Hospital hep C cases continue to rise
State health officials on Monday announced six more former Exeter Hospital patients are infected with the same strain of hepatitis C — bringing to 26 the number of patient cases linked to the outbreak at the hospital's cardiac catheterization laboratory and recovery room. In addition, one hospital employee was infected with same strain of the potentially deadly virus that attacks the liver.
New Hampshire public health officials also expressed cautious optimism that testing of the 1,213 patients who may have been exposed to the virus while being treated at the hospital's cardiac catheterization lab or recovery room between Oct. 1, 2010, and May 25 may be nearing an end.
More than 1,088 patients have been tested to date, of whom 976 have shown no evidence of infection, state epidemiologist Dr. Sharon Alroy-Pries said. The state has about 110 more patients to test. In addition, specimens taken from about 60 patients are still being processed and results are not yet available, Alroy-Pries said.
Health officials have said the likely source of the outbreak was a hospital employee who injected drugs intended for patients, then returned the syringes for patient use. Officials would not say if the infected hospital employee is the source of the outbreak.
“This is still very much an ongoing investigation,” state Public Health Director Dr. Jose Montero said in a statement. “These results do not require us to change the timeline for testing from Oct. 1, 2010, so we are hopeful that testing is nearing completion,” he said.
That time line could expand, however, if any test comes back with a positive result for someone treated at the hospital within six months of Oct. 1, 2010, Alroy-Pries said.
The outbreak of the blood-borne disease is believed to be the first of its kind at a New Hampshire medical facility. It is the focus of criminal and civil investigations involving federal, state and local law enforcement authorities and other regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane E. Young said the probe “remain active and ongoing.” She refused to discuss details or when she expected authorities would release their findings.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection transmitted by blood. It is passed from person to person through contact with an infected person's blood.
kmarchocki@unionleader.com
New Hampshire public health officials also expressed cautious optimism that testing of the 1,213 patients who may have been exposed to the virus while being treated at the hospital's cardiac catheterization lab or recovery room between Oct. 1, 2010, and May 25 may be nearing an end.
More than 1,088 patients have been tested to date, of whom 976 have shown no evidence of infection, state epidemiologist Dr. Sharon Alroy-Pries said. The state has about 110 more patients to test. In addition, specimens taken from about 60 patients are still being processed and results are not yet available, Alroy-Pries said.
Health officials have said the likely source of the outbreak was a hospital employee who injected drugs intended for patients, then returned the syringes for patient use. Officials would not say if the infected hospital employee is the source of the outbreak.
“This is still very much an ongoing investigation,” state Public Health Director Dr. Jose Montero said in a statement. “These results do not require us to change the timeline for testing from Oct. 1, 2010, so we are hopeful that testing is nearing completion,” he said.
That time line could expand, however, if any test comes back with a positive result for someone treated at the hospital within six months of Oct. 1, 2010, Alroy-Pries said.
The outbreak of the blood-borne disease is believed to be the first of its kind at a New Hampshire medical facility. It is the focus of criminal and civil investigations involving federal, state and local law enforcement authorities and other regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane E. Young said the probe “remain active and ongoing.” She refused to discuss details or when she expected authorities would release their findings.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection transmitted by blood. It is passed from person to person through contact with an infected person's blood.
kmarchocki@unionleader.com
