Weekly Wellness – Updates on Hepatitis C Scare in Two Colorado Hospitals

The Hepatitis C investigation continues to develop as more patients are being notified and getting tested. The American Liver Foundation offers information, support and physician referrals.

• Fox News: Hundreds Tested for Hep C as Surgery Tech Heads to Court "State health officials say 10 hepatitis C cases in former Rose patients may be linked to Parker."
• CNN: Hospital Worker May Have Exposed Patients to Hepatitis "In a statement to police, Parker said, "I can't take back what I did, but I will have to live with it for the rest of my life, and so does everyone else."
• Associated Press: 10th Suspected Case Tied To Surgery Tech. "If convicted of all charges, Parker faces a maximum of 34 years in prison."

Weekly Wellness – Hepatitis C Scare in Two Colorado Hospitals

Shocking and frightening news was recently released about a potential transmission of Hepatitis C at two Colorado hospitals, Rose Medical Center in Denver and Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs. The Denver Post notes that a former employee admitted to stealing injectible pain medications and replacing the syringes with placebos to be reused on patients. To me, it is unthinkable that things like this are happening in health care facilities today.

Rose Medical Center is reaching out to 4,700 patients who may have been exposed advising them to seek Hepatitis C testing. Audubon Surgery Center has mailed out 1,200 letters to patients and has recently blogged about their involvement in the situation.

Rose Medical Center News Release states “It is impossible to adequately express how deeply sorry and angry we are that the unconscionable acts of this terminated employee may have put some of our patients at risk.”

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment FAQ for Colorado Hep C Investigation

The American Liver Foundation has information on Hepatitis C and testing centers available. Contact 800-GO-LIVER or the website for more information.

Weekly Wellness - Hepatitis A, B and C

Since it seems there are a lot of questions out there about the various liver diseases, I will include current events, updates and facts about different liver diseases. If you or someone you know has symptoms of liver disease, you should contact your physician immediately. As requested – here is some information regarding Hepatitis A, B and C. There are other forms of hepatitis, however they are much less common in the US.

The following information about Hepatitis comes from the American Liver Foundation. Information on Hepatitis can also be found on the Center for Disease Control website too.

What causes hepatitis A? Most cases of hepatitis A are caused by consuming food or water contaminated with fecal matter that contains the virus. Common causes of transmission include: Poor personal hygiene among people involved in food or meal preparation; Eating raw or undercooked shellfish that came from waters polluted by sewage; Failure to wash hands after changing a diaper or after using the bathroom.

What causes hepatitis B? The hepatitis B virus passes from one person to another through body fluids, such as blood, semen and vaginal secretions. The hepatitis B virus can be spread from a mother to her child during birth. Other common causes of transmission include: Sexual contact; Sharing needles among intravenous drug users; Sharing razors, toothbrushes or nail clippers; Being exposed to wounds, blood, or secretions from infected persons.

What causes hepatitis C? You can get hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with blood from someone who already has the virus. The most common cause of transmission is the sharing of needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. Less common causes of transmission include: Sharing a razor, toothbrush or nail clipper with an infected person; Accidental exposure to infected blood among health care or public safety workers; Exposure to unclean tattooing or body-piercing instruments; Unprotected anal sex or exposure to multiple sex partners; In rare cases, hepatitis C can be spread from an infected mother to her child at birth. It cannot be spread by breast-feeding. Before 1992 there was a risk of getting hepatitis C from blood transfusions. Now all donated blood is tested for HCV so there is almost no risk of getting the disease from blood transfusions.

Let's deLIVER results!

About ten years ago, I received a phone call with news that my brother had been diagnosed with hepatitis C. Although I knew this was not good news, I had no concept of what that really meant. He seemed healthy and strong. I never knew he was sick. It was this mindset that would continue for years to come for all of us.

Fast forward 7 or so years when my brother actually began feeling sick. He underwent a series of liver function tests and biopsies and uncertainty and had to face the possibility of transplantation. Eventually the doctors decided to begin a round of treatment. After 10 months of grueling side effects, he completed treatment only to discover that the virus was still persistent. Today, like many of the other 4 million Americans infected with hepatitis C, we hope for a new treatment option and another chance at a cure.

As a part of the American Liver Foundation (ALF) Liver Life Walk team, we have the opportunity to work toward achieving such a goal every day. As a part of this effort, I would like to use this forum to share tips, tools, resources, ideas and support with other Liver Life Walk participants.

Creating awareness of this important health issue is an important piece of this process, so I will also share information and resources as well. According to the American Liver Foundation, currently there are vaccinations for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but none for hepatitis C. 8,000 - 10,000 people die of hepatitis C each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate within the next 20 years, the hepatitis C epidemic will cause more deaths annually in the U.S. than AIDS.


Additional statistics on the prevalence of liver disease from the American Liver Foundation

• The liver is a vital organ no one can survive without it, but it is a silent organ, because unlike your heart that has a beat, your liver does not move or have any sound. Many people live with liver disease for a long time without ever knowing it because they have no symptoms of pain or sickness- until the later stages. The liver is the body’s largest internal organ and does hundreds of functions every day. The liver removes harmful substances from the body, makes bile to help digest fat, and stores energy.
• There are an estimated 30 million people in the United States with liver disease…30 million is more than the entire population of people living in the 15 largest cities in the U.S. combined.
• There are currently over 100 known liver diseases and liver disease does not discriminate it affects men, women and children of every age and nationality and from every social and economic background.
• Liver disease is the ninth leading disease related cause of death in Colorado and across the entire United States with more than 42,000 people dying each year.
• Approximately 15,000 children are hospitalized every year with pediatric liver disease or disorders.
• Nationally there are nearly 17,000 people on the waiting list for liver transplants.
  
• Biliary Atresia occurs in 1 out of every 10,000 live births. 90% of babies born with Biliary Atresia that receive both treatments and a liver transplant within the first 60 days of life survive! Early detection is key. Liver
  

As noted above, liver disease does not discriminate. Infants are born every day with diseases of the liver and have to fight to survive. Read Savannah’s story about her battle with Biliary Atresia:

It is hard to imagine what obstacles a liver transplant recipient goes through. Everyone's experience is different. Read one person's experience.