Federal report reveals more details about Las Vegas hepatitis outbreak

By Mary Manning

Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 4:14 p.m.

New details in the ongoing investigation of the hepatitis C outbreak at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada emerged today in a report released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The center at 700 Shadow Lane has been closed and its owner, Dr. Dipak Desai, has had his license to practice medicine temporarily suspended after a total of eight people with acute hepatitis C have been linked to two clinics operated by Desai.

The CDC, in its weekly morbidity and Mortality Report, said that the Nevada State Health Division contacted the Atlanta-based agency on Jan. 2 after the Southern Nevada Health District learned two persons had been diagnosed with acute hepatitis C. A third person with acute hepatitis C was reported from surveying doctors' offices and clinics the following day.

The six people initially identified range in age from 37 to 72 years old and four were women. All had signs and symptoms of acute hepatitis, including jaundice, abdominal discomfort and laboratory evidence of lifer inflammation. They all developed symptoms in late October and November, the CDC said.

Four who had procedures at the clnic on the same day in September had viruses with the same genes, pointing to a common source of infection. Healt investigators believe reusing syringes and using single-dose bottles of anesthesia on several patients spread the hepatitis C. A separate case from July did not match the virus of the first four patients.

Another three persons were linked to the health care-associated hepatitis C outbreak for a total of six cases diagnosed during July to December 2007. One of the three additional cases was identified by reviewing community surveillance records, another by comparing local laboratory records with procedure records at the cneter and a third by a physician's report after the investigation started, the CDC said.

The investigation by state and local health and law enforcement agencies continues. Up to 50,000 people have been notified by health officials to get tests for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. No cases of hepatitis B or HIV have been linked to the clinic.