Because something went wrong during an endoscopic examination, 110 patients in the Antwerp Sint-Vincentius hospital may have become infected with HIV or hepatitis. They have been called up for a blood test.
The endoscope that was used for the intestinal examination turned out not to be properly cleaned. It is a tube that is inserted into the intestines through the anus. “The disinfection bath used to disinfect the endoscope did not meet the standards of proper cleaning that we use,” says Kristiaan Deckers, chief physician of the GZA hospitals.
As a result, there is a chance that the patients who received such a study between 16 and 29 October will have become infected with hepatitis A or B or even HIV. However, the chance of this is minimal. “It can never be ruled out 100 percent, which is why we also sent that letter to the patients, but I think the chance is very small. Especially when it comes to the HIV virus, because you need the necessary amount of blood for that. When it comes to hepatitis B, it’s a bit more difficult because you can already transmit it with a smaller amount of blood, ”says Deckers.
Bron (nen): HLN
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