Salem (Mass.) Hospital has alerted endoscopy patients that they may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis due to incorrectly administered IVs, Fox affiliate Boston 25 reported Nov. 15.
About 450 endoscopy patients have potentially been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C over a two-year period, according to Boston 25.
Salem Hospital told Boston 25 that the possibility of infection is "extremely small" and that there have been no reported instances of infection.
"Once identified, the practice was immediately corrected, and the hospital's quality and infection control teams were notified," Salem Hospital said in a statement to Boston 25 through its parent organization, Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham. The hospital is offering a clinician hotline and free screenings to affected patients.