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State investigates hepatitis B outbreak in MS nursing home

Infection Control Monitor, February 19, 2004

Mississippi health officials say an investigation into an outbreak of hepatitis B at the Neshoba County Nursing home in Philadelphia, MS, could take two months, Health & Medicine Week reports.

Since November, 16 patients at the nursing home received treatment for the liver-attacking virus. There are two investigations ongoing. Epidemiologists hope to determine the cause of the outbreak while the state Health Department's Office of Licensure is reviewing procedures at the nursing home.

A state Health Department spokeswoman said that under federal regulations, the nursing home was cited for a deficiency related to infection control.

After a patient was diagnosed with the virus in November, state health officials were alerted. The unidentified patient who was first diagnosed later died, but the Health Department has yet to determine if the patient died from the infection. Health officials found the virus in a second patient shortly after the death.

During its investigation, health officials tested the nursing home's 160 residents and found that 16 were positive for hepatitis B.

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