Woman gets hepatitis C after blood transfusions

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has been unable to establish how a woman who received three blood transfusions subsequently developed hepatitis C.

Eileen Kelly, 76, of Hampton House, Mill Road, Killarney, tested positive for the virus in June last year, approximately four months after receiving the last of three blood transfusions. She received her first blood transfusion shortly after contracting the MRSA superbug in hospital.

After testing positive, she was referred to the IBTS as “a possible case of transfusion-transmitted Hepatitis C” according to regional director of the IBTS, Dr Joan Power in a letter to Ms Kelly’s son, Dennis.