http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=101505

 

 

Surgeon's hepatitis B kills patient

Kate Foster
(kfoster@scotsman.com)

A 79-YEAR-OLD man has died and a second patient is recovering after contracting hepatitis B from a leading surgeon during routine operations, triggering fears that the procedures to protect the thousands of Scots undergoing surgery from infection every year are inadequate.

The Scottish executive last night announced it was reviewing as a matter of urgency the checks carried out on all health workers after it emerged the surgeon at the centre of the tragedy had taken all the required tests. He was believed to be clear of the killer virus.

Fife Health Board has contacted 350 patients who may also have been infected after undergoing operations by surgeon Riaz Mohammed at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline. He is highly experienced, and said he was devastated at the development.

Officials say that the surgeon had followed the strict protocols to prevent such a tragedy.

He had been vaccinated against the virus and received booster jabs, as well as undergoing regular tests.

Alex Cant, 79, from Dunfermline, who died of hepatitis B five months ago after undergoing a gall bladder operation had tested negative for the virus before the surgery. But he fell ill two months later.

Tests revealed that he had contracted the infection, which is passed through infected blood or body fluids and causes inflammation of the liver.

Last night, his wife Robina said she had been visited by officials from Fife Health Board’s public health department which is conducting an investigation.

She said: "I am very glad there is going to be an investigation into my husband’s death. Obviously, this has been a very upsetting time for me."

It is not yet known how Riaz Mohammed became infected with the virus but Fife Health Board said that he had received vaccination and boosters against hepatitis B, standard protocols for health workers who deal with blood, in accordance with guidelines set down by the Scottish executive.

Riaz Mohammed, who has 27 years’ experience as a surgeon, said last night that he had not known he was infected when carrying out the operations.

Riaz Mohammed said: "The news that I had somehow become infected, in spite of compliance with testing and immunisation procedures, came as a dreadful shock to me.

"I have not carried out any further operations and I am seeking assistance from occupational health specialists so that my own health and treatment needs can be assessed."

Most people who become infected with hepatitis B do not need treatment and recover from the virus. But a small number of people do not recover and the virus remains in their bloodstream, meaning they remain carriers of the infection.

Dr Charles Saunders, acting director of public health at Fife Health Board, said: "Fife Health Board has set up an Incident Control Team to lead and coordinate the investigation into this tragedy.

"The board and the Acute Trust are working closely with national experts in virology and blood borne infection from Edinburgh and from the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health in Glasgow.

"It is not clear how, even though the trust and the hospital worker followed Scottish executive guidance on health care workers and hepatitis B, the hospital worker was infectious with hepatitis B.

"We regret very much that, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, a patient has lost his life.

"The hospital worker is not now involved in patient care and hence does not present a continuing risk to patients."

The board has written to patients who were operated on by Riaz Mohammed between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2001. The letter informs patients of the situation and of the "very small" chance that they could have been infected with the hepatitis B virus.

If any more patients test positive, further testing will be performed to determine whether they are infected with the virus.

The Scottish executive last night defended its "robust" protocols for health workers.

A spokesman said: "We have very strict guidelines to prevent infection and this is a very rare case.

"However we will be ensuring that the executive’s advisory group on hepatitis will be reviewing this case."

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