After years of silence, Dr. Dipak Desai spoke publicly Thursday about the 2007 hepatitis C outbreak at his once-busy endoscopy center.
“I’m sorry sir, sorry,” Desai said in an emotional voice, as Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks in Reno was about to sentence him to 71 months in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud scheme tied to the deadly outbreak.
Before that, in a Las Vegas courtroom linked by video conference, Assistant U.S. Attorney Crane Pomerantz spoke of his disdain for the man at the center of the outbreak.
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Showing posts with label Outbreaks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outbreaks. Show all posts
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Canada: Hep C at colonoscopy clinic: Taking measures to prevent a second outbreak
On Dec. 24, 2013, four patients at a Kitchener colonoscopy clinic became infected with hepatitis C.
It was several months before any of them realized it – and nearly a year before a second diagnosis allowed public health officials to link the cases to Tri-City Colonoscopy Clinic.
While nobody knows what happened to transmit the virus with complete certainty, it’s believed shared equipment is to blame.
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It was several months before any of them realized it – and nearly a year before a second diagnosis allowed public health officials to link the cases to Tri-City Colonoscopy Clinic.
While nobody knows what happened to transmit the virus with complete certainty, it’s believed shared equipment is to blame.
Read more...
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Indiana drafting county profiles of HIV, hepatitis C rates
Effort aims to help officials detect outbreaks, determine eligibility for needle exchange programs.
State health officials are creating profiles of HIV and hepatitis C rates for all 92 Indiana counties to help local officials detect outbreaks of either disease and determine whether they can seek help under a new needle-exchange law, a top state disease expert said Wednesday.
State epidemiologist Pam Pontones told members of the Indiana State Department of Health's executive board that the agency hopes to quickly complete work on those profiles, which also will include intravenous drug use rates for each county.
Having that data will help county health officials determine whether they're facing an outbreak of either virus and — if it's tied to IV drug use — whether they can request state approval for a needle-exchange program to try to contain that outbreak, she said.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Indiana lawmakers OK needle exchange programs for communities with HIV, hepatitis C outbreaks
INDIANAPOLIS — Lawmakers looking to prevent a repeat of an HIV outbreak that has rocked a southern Indiana county sent Republican Gov. Mike Pence a measure Wednesday that would allow communities to implement needle-exchange programs if they can prove they're in the midst of an epidemic tied to intravenous drug use.
Pence, who opposes needle exchanges as part of anti-drug policy, said in a statement Wednesday that he looks forward to signing the legislation into law.
He said his office worked with lawmakers to develop "a legal framework" that would give state health officials the resources and flexibility they need to handle health emergencies.
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Pence, who opposes needle exchanges as part of anti-drug policy, said in a statement Wednesday that he looks forward to signing the legislation into law.
He said his office worked with lawmakers to develop "a legal framework" that would give state health officials the resources and flexibility they need to handle health emergencies.
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Patients infected with Hepatitis C after visiting Santa Barbara doctor
At least five patients tested positive for Hepatitis C after receiving injections at a Santa Barbara doctor’s medical office, public health officials said.
Now, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is urging any patients who visited the medical office of Allen Thomashefsky to get tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
Public health officials performed two inspections at Thomashefsky’s office in November 2014 after they received information that a patient with no known risk factors developed Hepatitis C following a visit. The patient underwent multiple injections at his office.
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Now, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is urging any patients who visited the medical office of Allen Thomashefsky to get tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
Public health officials performed two inspections at Thomashefsky’s office in November 2014 after they received information that a patient with no known risk factors developed Hepatitis C following a visit. The patient underwent multiple injections at his office.
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
Doctor in deadly Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak guilty of fraud conspiracy
Dr. Dipak Desai pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday in a health care fraud conspiracy stemming from the 2007 hepatitis C outbreak.
The hearing was held before Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks in Reno, but broadcast through a video conference to a Las Vegas courtroom.
Desai, 65, who is already serving time in the Nevada prison system for a state conviction in the hepatitis outbreak, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of conspiracy and health care fraud.
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The hearing was held before Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks in Reno, but broadcast through a video conference to a Las Vegas courtroom.
Desai, 65, who is already serving time in the Nevada prison system for a state conviction in the hepatitis outbreak, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of conspiracy and health care fraud.
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Thursday, February 5, 2015
Canada: Endoscope didn't cause hepatitis C outbreak at Kitchener clinic
Investigators from Region of Waterloo Public Health are still trying to figure out why five patients who had colonoscopies at a Kitchener clinic on Christmas Eve in 2013 were infected with hepatitis C.
"We know that the endoscope that was used that day was not the cause. All of the clients had different endoscopes. So that wasn't what links those five patients together," said Dr. Liana Nolan, the medical officer of health for Waterloo Region, in a interview with Colin Butler on The Morning Edition Wednesday."This is strong evidence of patient to patient transmission of hepatitis C due to a lapse in infection prevention and control practices at the clinic," the report said.
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Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Canada: Hepatitis C outbreak declared at Kitchener colonscopy clinic
A hepatitis C outbreak has been declared after five patients were diagnosed with the virus following treatment at the Tri-City Colonoscopy Clinic in Kitchener on Christmas Eve in 2013.
The patients were treated that day along with eight others, according to a report from Waterloo Region Public Health.
"At this point in time, Public Health has no evidence that there was a risk to clients seen on other days at Tri-City Colonoscopy Clinic," the report said.
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The patients were treated that day along with eight others, according to a report from Waterloo Region Public Health.
"At this point in time, Public Health has no evidence that there was a risk to clients seen on other days at Tri-City Colonoscopy Clinic," the report said.
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Monday, January 19, 2015
Are Anesthesiologists Finally Recognizing the Importance of Infection Control?
New York—When it comes to the delivery of anesthesia care, infection control matters—and infectious disease professionals think it is high time their counterparts in anesthesiology recognize that.
They should be pleased then that the issue was the topic of discussion during a session entitled “Infection Control Issues Impacting Anesthesia Practice: What’s the Evidence?” held here at the New York State Society of Anesthesiologists’ (NYSSA) 68th Annual PostGraduate Assembly (PGA) in Anesthesiology. The speakers emphasized the importance of infection control practices in the delivery of anesthesia by citing numerous examples. For instance, they noted that during anesthesia care Loftus RW et al (Anesth Analg. 2014 Jun 16. [Epub ahead of print]; PMID: 24937346) found a within- and between-case Enterococcus faecalis transmission rate of 11% to 23%; furthermore, several hepatitis B and C and other infectious outbreaks in health care settings over the past 15 years have been attributed to mishandling of medications, fluids, syringes, needles and cannulae by anesthesia professionals. However, the speakers also emphasized that some published infection control recommendations, including a provision of US Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter <797>, for example, present unique challenges to anesthesia professionals.
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They should be pleased then that the issue was the topic of discussion during a session entitled “Infection Control Issues Impacting Anesthesia Practice: What’s the Evidence?” held here at the New York State Society of Anesthesiologists’ (NYSSA) 68th Annual PostGraduate Assembly (PGA) in Anesthesiology. The speakers emphasized the importance of infection control practices in the delivery of anesthesia by citing numerous examples. For instance, they noted that during anesthesia care Loftus RW et al (Anesth Analg. 2014 Jun 16. [Epub ahead of print]; PMID: 24937346) found a within- and between-case Enterococcus faecalis transmission rate of 11% to 23%; furthermore, several hepatitis B and C and other infectious outbreaks in health care settings over the past 15 years have been attributed to mishandling of medications, fluids, syringes, needles and cannulae by anesthesia professionals. However, the speakers also emphasized that some published infection control recommendations, including a provision of US Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter <797>, for example, present unique challenges to anesthesia professionals.
Read more...
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Hepatitis C victims in Minot file for class-action status
MINOT, N.D. — Victims of the third largest hepatitis C outbreak in U.S. history who contracted the disease at a Minot nursing home are asking a federal court to certify their lawsuit as a class-action case.
The state Health Department has said there have been 51 cases of hepatitis C linked to the outbreak in Minot. At least 47 of the reported cases have been identified in former or current residents.
An investigation by Health Department concluded the outbreak may have been associated with phlebotomy or podiatry and nail care services provided at the ManorCare facility.
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The state Health Department has said there have been 51 cases of hepatitis C linked to the outbreak in Minot. At least 47 of the reported cases have been identified in former or current residents.
An investigation by Health Department concluded the outbreak may have been associated with phlebotomy or podiatry and nail care services provided at the ManorCare facility.
Read more....
Friday, January 2, 2015
Nevada justices side with patients in hepatitis outbreak
CARSON CITY — Patients who were exposed to unsafe injection practices at some health care facilities in Southern Nevada can make a claim for negligence even though they have so far tested negative for hepatitis C or other illnesses, the Nevada Supreme Court said Wednesday.
A three-justice panel of the court reversed a Clark County District judge who had ruled against Susan and Jack Sadler and others in similar circumstances.
The court said even in the absence of a present physical injury, those patients who have so far tested negative for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, or who have yet to be tested, may claim negligence based on the need to undergo medical monitoring.
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A three-justice panel of the court reversed a Clark County District judge who had ruled against Susan and Jack Sadler and others in similar circumstances.
The court said even in the absence of a present physical injury, those patients who have so far tested negative for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, or who have yet to be tested, may claim negligence based on the need to undergo medical monitoring.
Read more...
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