Denver's Rose Medical Center is Latest Hep C Outbreak
Rose Medical Center in Denver is the latest site of a possible Hepatitis C outbreak. There are now 10 cases confirmed and It is thought as many as 5,700 patients were exposed by dirty needles. What makes this case unique is that irresponsible needle practices by trained technicians are not the cause of the outbreak. Instead a scrub tech stole syringes filled with Fentanyl, a narcotic, and then switched them with dirty saline-filled syringes. The scrub tech, Kristen Parker worked at Rose from October 21, 2008 until April. She was suspended April 13, and then fired after she failed a drug test by testing positive for Fentanyl. Kristen Parker is in federal custody and the U.S. Attorney's Office said she has admitted to stealing the Fentanyl filled syringes and replacing them with dirty used ones. If convicted of tampering with a consumer product and other charges, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine on the most serious charge of tampering. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that can cause serious liver problems, including cirrhosis or liver cancer. The illness is treatable, but there is no cure. Symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, pain and jaundice.
