BREAKING: Hundreds of patients at Salem Hospital in Massachusetts potentially exposed to hepatitis B, C, HIV
Salem Hospital in Massachusetts announced on Wednesday that nearly 450 patients undergoing endoscopy procedures may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV over a period of two years.
The hospital, located 20 miles northeast of Boston, released a statement saying that patients may have been exposed during the administration of IV medications “in a manner not consistent with our best practice.”
However, the hospital stated that so far, no infections have been reported among the patients.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health performed an onsite investigation at the hospital and worked with the infection control team to manage the situation. The department advised the hospital to notify all impacted patients in writing about the potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens and to offer free-of-charge follow-up care, including testing.
Salem Hospital has notified all potentially impacted patients, set up a clinician-staffed hotline to answer questions, and is providing them with free screening and any necessary support.
In response to the incident, a spokesperson for Mass Brigham, which owns Salem Hospital, said, “The safety of our patients is our highest priority, and we have undertaken multiple corrective actions in response to this event. We sincerely apologize to those who have been impacted, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate health care to our community.”
While there is a vaccine available for hepatitis B, there are no vaccines that prevent infection with hepatitis C and HIV. However, hepatitis B and C are both treatable with antiviral medications, with the latter being 95% curable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HIV is not curable but can be treated and managed with antiretroviral therapy.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported that after a review, “we have determined that the infection risk to patients from this event is extremely small.” The hospital also emphasized that there is a small risk of infection and if patients have not been notified, they don’t need to be concerned.
The hospital said it was made aware of the incidents earlier this year and that it corrected the practice and notified its quality and infection control teams.
No specifics were given by hospital officials on how the exposure may have occurred or how it was corrected. However, the hospital assured that it has been working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to manage the situation and minimize the risk of infection for patients.