Hepatitis C closes dialysis centre

September 17, 2008

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A New York dialysis center was shut down by the state Health Department and hundreds of patients were urged to be tested after at least one patient contracted hepatitis C from treatment at the center.

The Health Department notified 657 patients of the Life Care Dialysis Center that they should be tested for both hepatitis B and C strains, as well as HIV. Nearly 200 patients were forced to be transferred to other centers to continue dialysis.

After a week-long inspection of the center, Health Department officials said they uncovered poor infection control practices, including “blood on the treatment chairs and dialysis machines, lack of proper hand hygiene, and inadequate disinfection of equipment,” according to a release.

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