The public health unit is urging patients of a Fergus clinic to get tested for infectious diseases.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health says that patients of Riverview Medical Group, Upper Level, who had an IUD inserted or had an endometrial biopsy from 2005 to 2016, should get tested for hepatitis B, C and HIV.
“A Public Health inspection showed that instruments used for specific procedures at this Fergus clinic from 2005 to 2016 may not have been cleaned, disinfected and sterilized properly,” the public health unit said in a press release.
“When equipment is not sterilized properly there is a small risk that patients may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV. As a result, all patients who had one of these procedures at the Riverview Medical Group, Upper Level should get tested: An intrauterine device (IUD) inserted; An endometrial biopsy.”
Public health said that if one patient had a virus and the virus got on a reusable device, it could have survived the cleaning, disinfection and sterilization process that was being used and been passed on to the next patient the device was used on.
It is not possible to know the chance this occurred, which is why we recommend all patients who had certain specific procedures with one of these devices get tested.
All problems identified by Public Health at this location have been corrected.
The health unit said patients who had an IUD inserted or had an endometrial biopsy at this location will receive a letter with a test requisition and instructions for testing.
Testing is free and confidential and results will be available in two weeks.
“Your doctor will call you if there is a concern,” the health unit said.
The requisition form for testing will outline the locations for testing, including any LifeLabs location, Palmerston Hospital lab, Louise Marshal Hospital lab in Mount Forest, Clifford Medical Centre, Mapleton Health Centre in Drayton.
Anyone who doesn’t receive a letter but still wants to get tested can either speak to their doctor or call the Public Health Information Line at 519-823-4920,
Further information can be found on the public health web site at wdgpublichealth.ca.
