The patient died at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline

Health chiefs are writing to 350 people who were treated by Mr Mohammed to advise them to take a test for the virus.

The surgeon has expressed his sympathy to the family of the dead patient and for the distress caused to the other people he has treated.

The second patient is understood to have caught the virus in spring this year.

Mr Mohammed said: "My sympathy goes to the family of the patient who died and I regret the distress that has been caused to any of my patients.

'Dreadful shock'

"I have complied fully with all protocols relating to testing for and immunisation against hepatitis B and I am utterly devastated to find myself in this terrible and totally unexpected situation.

Dr David Fraser: "Look at procedures"

"The well-being of patients has always been my principal concern and, during my 27 years as a surgeon, I have done everything within my power to act in their best interests.

"The news that I had somehow become infected, in spite of compliance with the trust's testing and immunisation procedures, came as a dreadful shock to me.

"I have not carried out any further operations and I am seeking assistance from occupational health specialists so that my own health and treatment needs can be assessed."

Dr David Fraser, of Fife Acute Hospitals Trust, admitted the testing procedures had failed to work in this case.

At a national level we want to look to examining guidelines and procedures and tighten them up

Health Minister Susan Deacon

"We believe the procedures have to be reviewed with a view to testing people for carrier status as well as immunisation," said Dr Fraser.

Health Minister, Susan Deacon, said that although this was a "very unusual" case it was timely to look again at the way staff are tested.

She said: "There are very clear national procedures in such cases and Fife Health Board have indicated they were followed in this case.

"It would seem to be a very unusual case and it is even more important that Fife Health Board examines its procedures very carefully indeed. And at a national level we want to look to examining guidelines and procedures and tighten them up."

Susan Deacon: "Procedures need tightening"

Hepatitis B is a liver disease spread through body fluids in the same way as conditions like HIV - it can be passed on by contact with infected blood or through sex.

However, hepatitis B is said to be easier to catch because it is 100 times more concentrated in the blood and can survive briefly outside the human body.

Symptoms include extreme tiredness, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and yellow skin.

Most of those infected with hepatitis B survive, but in acute cases the virus attacks the liver, potentially causing cirrhosis or cancer.

Fife Health Board is operating a freephone telephone number from 0800 BST on Thursday. It can be contacted on 0800 783 5066.