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Teen incorrectly told she might have HIV
NewsMail
~ Nov 18, 2009
 

A Bundaberg teenager who was wrongly told by Queensland Health she may have contracted HIV says the error caused her to lose her only source of income.

Gabrielle Carruthers, 16, was one of 33 patients treated at the Bundaberg Hospital dental health clinic on November 6, before a problem occurred in the cleaning process for dental instruments at the clinic.

Of them, 31 were treated with clean instruments and two did not require the use of instruments.

Queensland Health are testing the 31 patients for Hepatitis A, B and C and HIV to determine whether any one of them might have passed on the infectious viral diseases.

Authorities will thus be able to establish whether or not the 235 patients who were treated at the clinic with unsterilised instruments in the following week are at any risk of contracting those viruses.

Ms Carruthers, who was treated with clean instruments, said she was incorrectly informed by Queensland Health she may have contracted HIV and rushed to have blood tests done.

The teenager, who lives independently, also quit her job in the hospitality industry as she didn't want to pass on any disease she might have contracted.

"They lied to me and told me I was at risk of getting HIV or hepatitis, when really I wasn't," she said.

The patient information sheet given to Ms Carruthers when she went in for blood tests on Sunday, and seen by AAP, informed her she was at risk of contracting multiple blood-borne viruses.

"Queensland Health recommends testing to check if you have become infected with any of these viruses," the sheet said.

"This is important for your own health, and the health of your family and friends."

The 16-year-old said after she was given the all-clear she went back to her former employer to see if she could get her job back, but was rebuffed.

"I'll have to live day to day at the moment because I don't know what's going to happen," she said.

It is not known how many of the original 33 patients were informed they may have contracted HIV, but opposition MP for Burnett Rob Messenger says he has identified at least one other.

"This is malpractice," he said.

"Queensland Health's first priority was to establish who had HIV, and if they got those 31 tests done quickly there was probably a better chance of covering it up.

"The only reason this became public was because of the media knocking on the health minister's door on Monday.

"As soon as they found out on the Friday, they should have issued a public health notice."

Comment is being sought from Queensland Health.

The results of the 31 blood tests are expected later in the week.

 
 
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