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Pharmacy in Timonium
Source of Hepatitis C Outbreak
BALTIMORE
--
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) is
collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and local health departments to
investigate a recently reported cluster of Hepatitis C
cases.
The
investigation is gathering information relevant to this
situation. Some possible common factors have been
reviewed, including the receipt of a radionuclide used
in diagnostic tests and prepared at a nuclear pharmacy
in Timonium. The pharmacy has been cooperating fully
with the investigation and has voluntarily ceased
operations at that location.
Further investigation, including interviewing and
laboratory testing, is in progress. DHMH has
communicated with the health providers of potentially
exposed individuals in order that they may be
appropriately evaluated. Also, the Department has
contacted hospital infection control practitioners to
ask them to quickly report any cases. The investigation
currently points to a unique event and not an ongoing
public health risk.
- Facts about
Hepatitis C virus infection may be found on the
Department’s website at:
www.edcp.org or on the CDC
website at
www.cdc.gov .
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