3 Patients of N Charleston Clinic Diagnosed with Hepatitis B, More Could Suffer
On Monday, May 20th, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has ordered a clinic in North Charleston to cease and desist all invasive procedures, after three of the clinic’s patients were diagnosed with Hepatitis B after receiving injections.
DHEC reports that the three patients are believed to have caught the virus in February after routine spinal injections. The clinic in question is the Tri-County Spinal Care Center.
Hepatitis B is a virus often spread through unprotected sex. However, the disease can also be contracted from contaminated objects entering the body, such as needles. Because Hepatitis B is a virus, the body can sometimes clear the disease without a problem, or the virus can cause a lifetime of complications. There is currently no cure, although infants, international travelers, and health care workers are vaccinated against the disease.
Symptoms of Hepatitis B include fever, fatigue, nausea, joint pain, and dark urine.
According to DHEC, 23 other patients are potentially at risk of developing Hepatitis B, and the clinic has contacted them by phone to warn of the potential complication. The patients are asked to go to a different clinic for blood testing.
“That [Hepatitis B] usually is associated with improper equipment cleaning,” explained Joanna Sarver, infections prevention coordinator at East Cooper Medical Center. “Especially in a community setting, it’s very, very important that all equipment be properly sterilized.”
As of now, the source of the virus has not yet been identified. So far, only patients at the North Charleston Tri-County Spinal Care Center have been affected; the health care provider’s other offices in Summerville and West Ashley have not reported any incidents.
Clinic Agrees to Work Closely with DHEC to Find Source of Hepatitis B
On Tuesday night, May 21st, the Tri-County Spinal Care Center in North Charleston said that it would cooperate with DHEC’s investigations into the source of the Hepatitis B outbreak.
“We are surprised and very concerned for our patients,” said Chiropractic Physician Cameron Wills of Tri-County Spine.
DHEC notified the company of the problem on Friday morning.
The clinic has been ordered to cease all operations until “the facility no longer poses a threat to the public health.” They have also been asked to provide employee records, patient information, and access to the building.
“We have called 18 patients who received treatments on the dates in question,” Wills said. “This is very shocking to us. Lab tests have not yet confirmed how these infections were contracted. We are working feverishly with DHEC to scrutinize every element of our procedures. This is perplexing because we use pre-packaged sterile supplies.”
“We are committed to providing safe, reliable care for the relief of spinal pain. We continue to provide non-invasive care for our patients,” Wills added.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Claims for Medical Negligence, Including for Hepatitis B
If you or a loved one have been injured, harmed, or killed because of medical negligence, including contracting serious communicable diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV, or meningitis, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help get you the compensation you deserve, to get you through these tough times. We are licensed to practice across South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. To help you with your case, we offer free, confidential consultations. Do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.
