Health officials and hospital administrators said that they are requesting patients to take a blood test. They are contacting about 300 morbidly obese patients for a blood test for HIV and Hepatitis. Scripps memorial hospital in San Diego, California said that a nurse had failed to follow proper sterilization procedures for an instrument called a gastroscope. It is used in the so-called stomach-stapling operations. The instrument requires a different sterilization process from most other instruments because it cannot be exposed to high temperatures.
This poorly cleaned instrument was used in stomach-reduction operations. The hospital officials said that the risk of acquiring an infectious disease is extremely low but to be safe and take every precaution they are conducting the blood test. An investigation into the nurse's careless attitude and putting the lives of many patients under risk is underway. The officials said that the results of the blood tests would be available in two to three weeks time period.
