By PAUL HARASIM / RJ
A number of veterans as
well as doctors now
believe that Vietnam
veterans...could have
contracted hepatitis C
through unsafe jet gun
vaccinations.
While it’s possible the government’s position on transmission of hepatitis C among boomers may have resulted in less testing, it’s critical today boomers forget any fears of stigma and get the easy blood test.
An infected cardiac surgeon transmitted the virus to five patients during open heart surgery.
[Transfused blood negative] [Related Article: Surgeon transmits hepatitis B during surgery]
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April 1996
BARCELONA, Spain — For surgical patients, blood transfusions may not be the only risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: The surgeon may also be a source.
Six patients became infected with HCV after cardiac surgery. All procedures were performed by the same surgeon.
The study began as an analysis of the effectiveness of immunoassays in preventing post-transfusion HCV infection. Two patients were found who had developed HCV infection after cardiac surgery, but evidence of HCV infection could not be identified in the blood donors. Both cases were linked to the surgeon, who was known to have chronic hepatitis C.
The researchers then launched into a retrospective, six-year study of the surgeon's patients. Of 222 patients, 19 were identified as having HCV infection; 13 of those had received blood from a donor known to have HCV antibodies. http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/
