After much debacle a series of new inquiries into the case of an HIV positive dentist yielded results that supported the fact that he did not transmit the virus to his patients as earlier presumed. There are so many differences that set this case apart from a similar case that happened earlier involving another HIV positive dentist who indeed caused his patients to contract the virus.
By making use of DNA sequencing scientists from the health department and federal centers were able to isolate the strain of HIV carried by the dentist. Findings provided sufficient information regarding the evidence of different HIV strains in the dentist and patients.
Neither another infected patient nor poorly maintained dental implements were to blame for the contraction of the HIV virus by a particular patient as findings from the studies further clarified. All resulting information allowed some light to be shed on the situation. Physicians should not be forced to have their health assessed before treating patients especially since the risk of getting infected by a dentist is very low.
Mandatory testing for physicians was the brainchild of a female patient who was infected by the first dentist who ended up infecting a total of six people before succumbing to the disease. Populations of indigents were affected by the AIDS epidemic but this did not prevent the second dentist from extending medical assistance. It only took three years for the dentist to succumb to the HIV he contracted.
24 out of the 19% of patients he treated during his last five years of service tested positive for the HIV virus after getting tested. Four more found out that they too have contracted the virus. When the 28 patients were later analyzed the studies conducted on them showed that 24 of those who tested positive for HIV could be potential behavioral risks. HIV strains differ significantly and DNA sequencing was able to determine that the strains from the dentist and his patients did not contain any similar attributes.
Completely different HIV strains were taken from the dentist and his patients disputing certain claims that they contracted the virus from him. Each one who had HIV contracted the virus from a different source than the rest and this can be supported by findings where no single strain was found to be the same. Dental implements though were still not free from ridicule as they could have been contaminated with blood or tissue.
With new evidence disputing earlier findings AIDS experts are confident that the fear for dental care will gradually be subdued. There may be additional evidences according to the director of the HIV sequence database and analysis project that will further support the information released by the center for disease control. Continuous groundwork to get to the bottom of HIV strains is done by the quasi governmental organization but according to the group a case like this is more likely to happen once again as HIV continues to infect numerous populations today. Other than their campaign for safe practices new findings benefit the American dental profession as they handle over 400 million patient needs.
Visible infection control procedures are now in place as the dental industry tries to focus on future developments after closing this case. On the other hand one of the lawyers for the AIDS victim advised against disregarding the need for mandatory health checks as patients still had the right to know about the possible risks carried by their physicians. Case in point a number of patients got infected by HIV and whether the dentist acted negligently or not it is the responsibility of public health services to provide patients with adequate protection.
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