HIV, hepatitis fears over dirty instruments

17 Nov 2009, 10:11 am   -   Source: AAP/SBS
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Health experts insist the risk of contamination is very low (AAP)

Health experts insist the risk of contamination is very low (AAP)

Hundreds of people face an anxious wait after a failure in sterilisation procedures at a Queensland hospital led to fears they may have contracted HIV or hepatitis.

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Hundreds of people face an anxious wait after a failure in sterilisation procedures at a Queensland hospital led to fears they may have contracted HIV or hepatitis.

Authorities are contacting 274 people who were patients at the Bundaberg Hospital dental health clinic between November 6 and 13 this year because of the scare.

Sunshine Coast-Wide Bay Health Service infectious disease physician Dr David Sowden said one load of dental instruments cleaned on November 6 was not subjected to the final steam sterilisation process.

But he said the cleaning process that was undertaken, which included detergent and an ultra-sonic cleanser, would have reduced the risk of contamination considerably.

Blood tests under way

"If there were blood-borne viruses present at the onset of cleaning, the risk of transmission to a subsequent client at the clinic is considered very low for hepatitis B and extremely low for hepatitis C and HIV," he said.

Authorities have successfully contacted 31 of the 33 patients on whom the instruments were used prior to the problem occurring.

"Urgent contact with the final two patients is currently being sought," Dr Sowden said.

Dr Sowden said these patients have been asked to provide their medical history and have all agreed to undertake a blood test.

None have indicated they have a blood-borne disease and the first of the test results should be known from Friday.

Queensland Health is offering testing for any of the 274 patients who visited the clinic after the problem occurred.


 

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