Surgeons with HIV infection: the risk to patients.
The risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission from an infected surgeon to a patient is probably very low. In separate studies, the patients of four surgeons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been followed up; no evidence of transmission was found. However, a recent report suggests that a dentist with AIDS may have transmitted HIV infection to a patient during the extraction of two molar teeth. Whether HIV-infected health care workers who perform invasive procedures ought to be obliged to discontinue or modify their practice continues to be debated.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
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D000328:Adult; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010361:Patients; D012106:Research; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology