Twelve patients at a German hospital have so far been found to have hepatitis C after undergoing surgery involving an anesthetist who is himself infected with the disease.
The practitioner who no longer works at the Donau-Ries Clinic in the southern German town of Donauwoerth, infected the individuals during surgery, a local health authority said Monday.
Prosecutors have opened investigations against the anesthetist. He was addicted to medication, according to the health body.
Given that hepatitis C is normally transmitted through blood contact, it is unclear how patients became infected. Several hundred of the clinic's former patients have been called to get tested for the disease.
Hepatitis C is usually symptomless, or can cause flu-like symptoms. It can become chronic, causing tiredness or upper abdominal discomfort. It can also lead to cirrhosis, which increases the risk of cancer.
Please click to read our informative text prepared pursuant to the Law on the Protection of Personal Data No. 6698 and to get information about the cookies used on our website in accordance with the relevant legislation.
6698 sayılı Kişisel Verilerin Korunması Kanunu uyarınca hazırlanmış aydınlatma metnimizi okumak ve sitemizde ilgili mevzuata uygun olarak kullanılan çerezlerle ilgili bilgi almak için lütfen tıklayınız.