Jaffe H, Ou CY, Ciesielski C, Economu N, Furman L, Myers G, Witte J; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1991 Jun 16-21; 7: 84 (abstract no. TH.D.110).

Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA, USA

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the patients of a dentist with AIDS became infected with HIV during their dental care. METHODS: An epidemiologic investigation of a young woman with AIDS and no known risk factors (Patient A) revealed that her dentist also had AIDS. Additional infected patients were later found by serologic screening of dental patients, cross matching of dental patients with reported AIDS cases, and self reports. For infected dental patients and a random sample of persons seen at HIV clinics in the same area (controls), HIV proviral DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, cloned, and sequenced. Data were obtained regarding the dentist's health and the infection-control procedures of his practice. RESULTS: In addition to Patient A, 5 other patients (B-F) were infected. Of these, B and C had no other confirmed exposure to HIV, D had behavioral risk factors, and investigations of E and F are in progress. Sequencing of the V3 region of the gp120 gene showed that the viruses of the dentist and Patients A, B, and C were closely related (average difference = 3.4%), but clearly distinct from viruses infecting Patient D, 7 controls, and 21 other North American isolates. No injuries to the dentist were recorded during his care of A, B, and C; infection control practices were not always in compliance with recommended procedures. DISCUSSION: At least 3 patients of this dentist were apparently infected with HIV during their dental care. The transmission mode remains unclear; the dentist may have sustained injuries which directly exposed patients to his blood or he may have contaminated instruments with his or a patient's blood. This case, the first reported of its kind, has important implications for developing additional guidelines for the management of HIV-infected dentists and surgeons.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Dental Care
• Dentists
• Disease Transmission, Horizontal
• Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
• Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient
• Female
• HIV
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Infection Control
• Risk Factors
• transmission

Other ID:

• 4011091

UI: 102196961

From Meeting Abstracts