A patient was transferred to Harborview from another hospital in late June, and tests later showed the patient had brucellosis. A lab worker also dropped a test tube with the Brucella bacteria in it on June 25, which may have exposed other lab employees.
The Harborview employees have been offered antibiotics and blood tests and informed of the symptoms, which include fever, headache, and muscle and joint pain. Brucella can be deadly if left untreated. The disease does not spread person to person, however, so hospital patients, other employees, and exposed employees’ families are not in danger of catching it.
So far, employees’ blood tests for Brucella bacteria have come back negative.
More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
Jewish Hospital to suspend heart transplant program
Kansas requires meningitis, hep A vaccines for school-aged children
2 injured in explosion at Connecticut hospital
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.