What concerns prompted attempts to trace around 32,000 patients and former patients of Desmond D’Mello?
The three viruses that health professionals are worried about – HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B – can be in people’s blood for many years without their showing obvious symptoms. The patients’ records at the centre will not necessarily be up to date enough to trace everybody by writing to them.
Health specialists in this case assess the risk of infection through contaminated instruments or poor hygiene control as low, but say they cannot be 100% sure.
What are the symptoms of these infections, if and when they occur?
For the two forms of hepatitis, these can include flu-like symptoms, such as tiredness, aches and pains, and loss of appetite. The viruses affect the liver so some people also show signs of jaundice, a yellowing of the eyes or skin. This usually alarms them enough to see a doctor. Most people infected with hepatitis B will fight off the infection within months, and even most with chronic disease will have little liver damage. In most cases, hep C only shows noticeable symptoms when there is severe liver damage.
Hepatitis B is relatively rare in the UK but more than 200,000 people are thought to be chronically infected with hepatitis C.
With HIV, some people report flu-like symptoms within weeks. Others only begin to feel sick as they progress towards Aids. About 100,000 people are thought to be living with HIV in the UK.
How are the infections spread?
In most cases, these diseases are spread in other ways such as unprotected sexual activity or injecting drugs. HIV can be spread from HIV-positive mother to child, during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. However, because some dental procedures may cause some bleeding there is a low risk of transmission, according to experts. For infection to take hold in the person undergoing dental treatment, the virus concerned would still have to be “viable”. The HIV virus, for instance, does not survive long once it is outside the human body. The chances of blood-to-blood contact in the setting of a dental surgery are therefore low. Health professionals hope this will reassure those worried by the D’Mello case.
Are the diseases treatable?
Yes. Most people who contract these diseases, live in the UK and are treated in time do live normal or near-normal lifespans, although with hepatitis C cure rates can vary depending on the strain. The key is early diagnosis. Without treatment for HIV, for instance, the immune systems of those infected can become seriously damaged and they will develop life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.
