Clinic patients tested for hepatitis, HIV after hygiene concerns

More than 1,500 patients who received treatment at a Stittsville medical centre have been tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV after infection-control lapses were discovered earlier this year.

The testing by Ottawa Public Health revealed that a handful of the patients are infected or potentially infected with hepatitis B or C (some need further testing). But a spokeswoman for the health unit said they are satisfied those cases are not related to the lapses at Stittsville’s Main Street Family Medical Centre.

“Based on the information available to date, there is no indication that the cases of hepatitis B and C are related to the IPAC (infection prevention and control) lapse,” said Ottawa Public Health spokeswoman Donna Casey.

Health officials looked at the date of initial hepatitis diagnosis, the date or dates the patient had procedures at the clinic and other risk factors for hepatitis to make the determination.

To date, Ottawa Public Health has tested 1,640 people, about 36 per cent of all patients who were potentially exposed to improperly cleaned medical equipment at the clinic. Testing is ongoing.

Of those tested, one person was identified as currently infected with hepatitis B and four people were identified as previously infected with hepatitis B. That is fewer than would be expected if 1,640 Canadians were randomly tested for hepatitis B, Casey said. Hepatitis B affects about 0.4 per cent of Canadians, or six out of 1,640 people.

In addition, five people reacted to an initial test for hepatitis C, and are undergoing further testing to see if they still have the infection or had it previously and are now clear. Hepatitis C affects, on average, about 0.7 per cent of Canadians, which translates to about 11 out of 1,640.

Ottawa Public Health investigated the clinic after receiving a complaint in late April. Investigators found lapses in cleaning and sterilizing.

Findings included that medical instruments were being “inconsistently rinsed” with tap water instead of cleaning, or being put directly into a container with disinfectant without being cleaned. Investigators found no dedicated area for sterilizing instruments and that the autoclave, used to sterilize and disinfect instruments, was not being properly used.

Investigators also found that some single-use disposable equipment had been repackaged for use, that medications were not being stored properly, and urine testing was being done on the same counter as blood collection, medication preparation and medical instrument reprocessing.

There was further evidence of improper cleaning and hygiene throughout the clinic. The clinic was ordered to cease all medical procedures requiring sterile surgical equipment, to develop written infection-control policies and to make various infection-control changes. The clinic was inspected, hired a new environmental cleaning service, and allowed to resume some minor surgical procedures in June.

In July, Ottawa Public Health put out a public call for patients of the clinic who had had minor surgical procedures to be tested for hepatitis C, B and HIV. At the time, public health officials appealed to 4,600 patients to have the testing done, although they emphasized that the risk was low and testing was being done as a precaution.

No one from the clinic was available to comment.