At Least One Patient Contracted Hepatitis C From Dental Practice, Says Health Department
The Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Tulsa Health Department have released interim results of their investigation into a local dental practice, which they say directly caused at least one person to contract Hepatitis C.
In March of this year, thousands of former patients of Dr. Scott Harrington were notified by the boards of health that they may have contracted Hepatitis C or another blood-borne illness. Of the 4,000 patients tested, 89 tested positive for Hepatitis C, five for Hepatitis B, and four for HIV.
Only one instance of Hepatitis C has been proven to have originated at the clinic, the health departments say. Health officials used genetic-based testing of patient specimens through the Centers for Disease Control to link the two instances together. They acknowledge that instances of Hepatitis C, HIV, and other blood-borne illnesses will be discovered through the testing process, which were not related to transmission at the clinic.
“While our investigation documents the transmission of hepatitis C, we have no reason to believe the hepatitis B cases resulted from exposure in this dental practice,” said Bradley.
“This is the first documented report of patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C virus associated with a dental setting in the United States,” state epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley said in a press release from the Tulsa Health Department. “While dental procedures are generally safe, this reinforces the importance of adhering to strict infection control procedures in dental settings.”
Reportedly, Dr. Harrington’s practice was shut down because his equipment was rusty and his employees reused needles. The unhygienic practices resulted in the first documented transmission of blood-borne illnesses like Hepatitis C between patients in the US.
Early identification and treatment of Hepatitis C is important to prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, as well as to prevent further spread of the disease.
“For every new infection prevented by this public health response, $30,000 to $40,000 will be saved in associated health care costs,” said Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart. “Infectious disease control is a core function of the public health system, and when transmission of disease is apparent, it is our job to identify the problem and reduce the chance that other people will get sick.”
Federal Prosecution of Hepatitis C and Communicable Diseases
Knowingly infecting other people is a serious criminal offense, whether the infection is Hepatitis C or HIV. It can be considered assault with intent to do bodily harm. If the crime occurs across multiple state lines, it becomes a federal issue.
Assault and battery are two different but related crimes that frequently happen simultaneously and, as a result, are usually prosecuted jointly. Assault involves the act of threatening to injure someone, while battery refers to the actual act of violence. Both assault and battery are taken extremely seriously in a court of law and carry heavy penalties including jail time and more.
If you cannot file for criminal or federal charges, personal injury lawsuits can help you recover medical costs and punish the person that infected you. Medical malpractice personal injury lawsuits can also help a medical professional from continuing dangerous practices that could lead to the spread of disease.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Claims for Medical Negligence, Including for Hepatitis C
If you or a loved one have been injured, harmed, or killed from contracting serious communicable diseases like Hepatitis C, 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
