Possible accidental contamination with HIV at the Hospices de Lyon

They are 5,000 in total. All patients who consulted the dental center Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL) between May and December 2022 are invited to be screened. They have indeed received a letter telling them, according to the local newspaper Progress who had access to it, that a “specific material” used during care received was “likely to have suffered a defect during its sterilization cycle”.

Patients should get tested for HIV and Hepatitis B and C

On December 12, an alert was given, which launched the investigation, which began in early 2023. It is this investigative work that revealed the possibility of a defect in the sterilization of the equipment used during the care received by patients. Thus, in the mail sent, they are all invited to be tested free of charge for HIV but also for hepatitis B and C.

The HCL nevertheless indicate that this screening is advisable “as part of the application of the precautionary principle“. Indeed, the establishment stresses that there would be very little chance that patients were exposed to an infectious risk.

No positive test to date

A number has been set up to answer questions and concerns from patients. One of them, contacted by Le Progrès, said she was very distressed and denounced the delays between the date of signature (May 9), the reception (May 16) and the screening appointment (May 22).

According France 3 Auvergne Rhône-Alpesit would still be too early to draw an assessment of the screenings but, according to the HCL, “to date, no patient has tested positive.“