Via News.com.au :
" FIFTY-SIX South Australians could be at risk of diseases such as hepatitis after having colonoscopies with equipment that tested positive for bacteria.
But the likelihood of infection from the Lyell McEwin Hospital colonoscope is is an "extremely low", SA Health's chief medical officer Paddy Phillips says.
The instrument is a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny light and camera at the end that is inserted into the rectum to check for, or treat, bowel problems and abnormalities.
Lyell McEwin has 16 of the colonoscopes, one of which tested positive for gastrointestinal bacteria on October 6, after it missed a routine test in June.
The gut bacteria is found in everyone's bowel and doesn't pose a health risk.
The positive result indicates the colonoscope was not completely disinfected at some stage between May 9 and October 6, and SA Health is investigating how this happened, Prof Phillips said.
The patients affected are being offered blood tests to make sure they don't have potentially more serious viruses like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV."
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