OTTAWA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Canada's federal government and three provincial governments after thousands patients were found involved in the reuse of syringes by health services.

    This past week, the Regional Health authority of Winnipeg in Manitoba province announced it would test 17 city residents for blood-borne infections after it was learned a nurse reused a finger-stick blood sampling device on patients between May 2007 and October 2008.

    That news came after neighboring Saskatchewan province announced last month it was conducting a province-wide investigation into the reported reuse of single-use syringes in several cities.

    Days before, the Alberta government revealed that up to 2,700 dental and endoscopy patients might have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis through the reuse of syringes in IV lines at a regional hospital.

    That suggests the practice of reusing single-use syringes could be more widespread than anyone knows, said lawyer Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group Saturday, which filed the class action on the basis of the Alberta and Saskatchewan cases.

    "Cockroaches come in groups," said Merchant. "If these mistakes are known to have happened in Alberta, Winnipeg, and the five districts in Saskatchewan ... my worry for the nation is that it could be happening across the country."

    Under Canada's national health care system, provincial governments are responsible for the management of health services.

    The reuse of syringes and needles poses a risk of infecting patients with blood-borne diseases, such as HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B.

    The statement of the lawsuit said the agencies and governments were negligent, breached their duties, committed battery and breached the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

    The lawsuit seeks compensation for any blood-borne diseases contracted by the plaintiffs because of syringe reuse, for the testing patients will have to undergo to determine if they were infected, and for emotional distress. But no figure was given for monetary compensation.