HIV and other viruses in surgery: a continued occupational risk.
Hepatitis viruses and HIV represent known and suspected occupational risks to surgeons. A better understanding of these diseases will allow surgeons to provide better and more compassionate care for their patients. It is essential that surgeons view blood as a toxic substance in the operating room. Reducing potential risks can be achieved best by improvement of operating room barriers, modification of techniques used in operations, and a prompt response when blood contact or exposure occurs. Mandatory or socially imposed voluntary testing for HIV testing for patients and physicians (1) is unnecessary; (2) is expensive; and (3) continues the socio-political debate about this disease. It is time for HIV to be treated like a disease and not a social pariah. To do otherwise will result in denial of care for patients and will result in yet another adversarial issue to be interposed between surgeons and patients.
Fry
D E
DE
Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission*; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D013502:General Surgery; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors