St. Louis Fire Department Offers To Test Employees for Hepatitis C

The St. Louis Fire Department has offered to test its 900 employees for hepatitis C, the Kansas City Star reports. Kim Bacon, a spokesperson for the fire department, said that workers who test positive for hepatitis C will be notified by a doctor, but she added that the identities of workers infected with the virus will not be disclosed to fire department officials. Bacon said that if workers can demonstrate "evidence of a connection between work and the disease," they could potentially file a workers' compensation claim. The fire department is providing the testing in conjunction with the American Liver Foundation. Thus far, only one firefighter has refused the screening. The program is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, according to the Star (Kansas City Star, 9/11).