Wellington, June 16 NZPA- Twenty-six New Zealand women who may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus in a Melbourne abortion clinic have been referred for testing.

James Latham Paters, anaesthetist at Melbourne's Croydon Day Surgery Clinic is now being investigated by police and the Medical Practitioners after more than 20 of his patients tested positive to a strain of hepatitis C identical to his own.

After media coverage, 55 New Zealand women called the Ministry of Health's Healthline, concerned they had contracted the virus from the clinic.

The ministry's director of public health Fran McGrath said the women who were confirmed as being at risk would be taken to a New Zealand specialist for testing, counselling and treatment if required.

The total number of women who could have contracted the disease from Dr Peters was about 3500 women in total.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that causes inflammation of the liver and which can have serious complications.

Anyone treated at the clinic between January 2006 and December 2009 should ring Healthline on 0800611116.