Hepatitis B Testing Advised For Body Piercing Clients At Calgary Studio

(CTN News) – In an effort to prevent Hepatitis B spread, Alberta Health Services advises anyone who has received a body piercing through Little Witch Tattoo to receive follow-up testing for the disease.

According to Dr. Franco Rizzuti, medical officer of health for the Calgary area, the studio did not follow sterilization procedures correctly, and individuals who received piercing services from the shop may have been exposed to hepatitis B.

As a result of a list of infractions that Alberta Health Services issued on April 29, the tattoo shop was closed.

Among those were failing to notify AHS before providing piercing services to the general public, failing to keep a record of which staff member performed each service, and failing to store jewelry for piercing services properly.

As a result of a complaint received by Hepatitis B AHS Environmental Public Health,

The breach was discovered during an inspection conducted in response to that complaint. As a result of this inspection, we determined that the proper sterilization of the equipment used for body piercings was not achieved.

“To prevent the spread of infection from one person to another, the equipment used for body piercing needs to be cleaned, disinfected and sterilized according to specific health standards,” said Dr. Franco Rizzuti in an interview with Hepatitis B.

On June 14, AHS lifted the closure order, after providing education to the owner and operator of the shop concerning proper sterilization practices and the use of single-use disposable devices for body piercings.

The Alberta Health Services (AHS) has reported that despite the relatively low risk to clients, it is advising clients of Little Witch Tattoo, located at 103, 2640 52 Street N.E. Located in Calgary, and who have had body piercings between April 15 and May 1 of this year, to make an appointment for further testing for Hepatitis B.

Specifically, the AHS says that the public advisory is not affecting tattoo services that are provided through Little Witch Tattoo, and that the public advisory is the result of Little Witch Tattoo not being able to provide a comprehensive list of clients.

As of today, there have not been any positive cases of Hepatitis B associated with body piercing services at the location, resulting from the services provided.

In a recent statement, AHS stated that the testing is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and health of former clients.

Obtaining confidential testing can be arranged by contacting the client’s physician or Health Link at 811 by contacting their physician.

If you are concerned about the safety or health of your health and safety as a result of a piercing or tattoo, you should contact Environmental Public Health immediately.

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