Veterans Warned of Possible Exposure to Viruses

More than 22,000 veterans across the country have been sent letters by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to advise them to get blood tests. The recipients of the letters are men who underwent prostate biopsies at veterans’ hospitals, and there is a concern that improperly sterilized equipment may have exposed them to deadly viruses. Although officials said Friday that infection is unlikely, and no patient is known to have been exposed, they have decided to offer free blood tests as a precaution.

According to VA spokesman Jim Benson, after the cleaning procedure was questioned by officials in Maine, the department began alerting patients at 21 medical centers in 18 states, plus Puerto Rico. The biopsy equipment includes a probe that may retain traces of body fluids if improperly cleaned, thereby exposing patients to deadly viruses such as hepatitis or AIDS.

So far about 7,000 vets have contacted the VA after receiving the letter, but only about 2,000 have been tested. "It's too soon to have any information on their test results because each of the potential diseases we might be worried about require not only initial tests but confirmatory tests as well," Benson said. "Right now our first priority is getting information out to every veteran."

Infectious disease experts say that the examination technique for a biopsy involves inserting a stainless steel scope about the diameter of a pencil into the rectum, and then doctors draw a sample from the prostate gland with a hollow needle. The sterilizing procedure outlined in the cleaning instructions provided by the manufacturer of the equipment, B-K Medical Systems in Denmark, do not specify the need for a brush while cleaning. Although the instructions call for the equipment to be flushed with a disinfecting solution, VA officials became concerned that the tube must be physically scrubbed as well.

A spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars told reporters that he is satisfied with the VA’s response. The director of veterans affairs for the American Legion said that his group is making efforts to be sure the VA has addressed their concerns. "What the American Legion wants to make sure is that this mistake isn’t the responsibility of overworked VA staff," said Peter Gaytan. "And if it is, they need to hire more people."