VA Hospital Warns of Hygiene Problem

ST. LOUIS - Several members of Congress have demanded that a Veterans Administration Medical Center be investigated after it urged nearly 2,000 veterans to return for blood tests because inadequately sterilized equipment may have exposed them to viral infections during dental procedures.The Department of Veterans Affairs sent out letters Monday to 1,812 people who had dental procedures at the John Cochran VA facility from Feb. 1, 2009, through March 11 of this year.The VA said quality reviews determined that some sterilization steps involved in preparing dental instruments were not in compliance with standards, creating a low risk of infection of infections such as hepatitis C and HIV.VA Medical Center spokeswoman Marcena Gunter said Wednesday that about 100 veterans had returned to the facility for testing, and that hundreds of others have contacted VA to make arrangements. She was not aware of any infections uncovered. Blood testing will screen for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.Gunter said there was a delay in notifying the veterans of the possibility of exposure because officials were evaluating the risk.