According to a recent announcement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), three patients from VA hospitals have tested positive for HIV after being exposed to contaminated endoscopic equipment.

As DOTmed News has reported, the patients were treated at the VA medical facilities in Murfreesboro, TN, Augusta, GA and Miami, FL. It was also reported that more than 10,000 patients have been tested for HIV after being treated with endoscopic equipment that may not have been not properly sterilized.

In addition, the VA stated that there have been six positive tests for hepatitis B virus and 19 for hepatitis C at the three locations. The VA cannot prove whether the patients were exposed to the viruses at its facilities.

The VA also released figures that indicated patients potentially affected could be 10,797, including 6,387 who had colonoscopies at Murfreesboro; 3,341 at Miami; and 1,069 who were treated at the ear, nose and throat clinic in Augusta. About half of those at risk have been notified of their follow-up test results, the VA said.

All three sites used endoscopic equipment made by Olympus American Inc. The company said it is helping the VA address problems with "inadvertently neglecting to appropriately reprocess a specific auxiliary water tube."

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