VA: 3 positive tests of vets at St. Louis clinic

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VA: 3 positive tests of vets at St. Louis clinic
By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer
Jul 30, 7:46 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Three veterans treated at the St. Louis VA Medical Center's dental clinic have tested positive for hepatitis and further testing will be necessary to determine if inadequately sterilized dental equipment is to blame, VA officials said Friday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provided test results to The Associated Press after repeated requests over the past two weeks. The VA has drawn criticism from some members of congressional delegations in Missouri and Illinois for taking too long to release information on how many veterans tested positive.

The results come about a month after the VA sent letters to 1,812 veterans treated at the clinic from Feb. 1, 2009, through March 11, 2010, urging them to take blood tests because improperly cleaned dental equipment could have exposed them to hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV. The VA has said the risk of infection is remote.

A fourth veteran also tested positive, but the VA said later Friday that the infection happened before Feb. 1, 2009.

Of 1,022 veterans tested and notified of results, two tested positive for hepatitis B and two for hepatitis C, the VA said. None have tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The VA did not provide more details.