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The Number of HIV Cases in the Dental Field

By: Camille Young

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Patients of an HIV positive dentist who found themselves to be infected with the virus claimed that the dentist transmitted the virus due to lax infection control practices but new findings dispute these claims. Another dentist was found guilty of spreading the virus to his patients a few years back and in contrast to this current issue the other dentist was really the one to blame.

The dentist may be infected with a different strain of HIV and the health department and federal centers determined the strain through DNA sequencing. Testing provided information containing evidence regarding differences in the HIV strains from the dentist and patients.

Because of the DNA sequencing they were also able to determine that the patients did not get the virus from one another and with regard to the dental implements they also had no part in the infections. 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.

In an effort to save others from experiencing the same fate one of the six people infected by the first dentist started a crusade so physicians will be obligated to undergo mandatory health exams. Populations of indigents were affected by the AIDS epidemic but this did not prevent the second dentist from extending medical assistance. Testing positive for HIV himself the dentist passed away after three years.

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. The virus was transmitted affecting four more indigent patients. Behavioral problems affected the 24 out of the 28 HIV positive patients and this was known after studies were conducted to analyze the patients. The availability of DNA sequencing allowed more clarifications to be done regarding how different the HIV strain of the dentist is to the strain from his patients.

Without evidence showing similarities in the strains of HIV there is no way that the dentist could have transmitted the virus he was infected with. All strains from those who were infected came out different pertaining to the fact that every person got the virus from a source only he was exposed to. Possible sources still included dental implements which could have been contaminated thus causing the infections.

Coming from those who know AIDS well the new research may help suppress the fears people developed for dental services stemming from a patient's death. According to the director of the HIV sequence database and analysis project, there might be a sort of momentary message that reinforces the good news that's been coming out of the center for disease control. The job of the quasi governmental organization is to study HIV strains but they are not confident that another case much like this one will not happen again considering the fact that the number of HIV cases are continually increasing. A campaign for safe practices was developed by the American dental profession and research like this one will definitely support their efforts.

Closing this case proved to be an important aspect that started much development in the dental industry beginning with more visible infection control procedures. One lawyer who worked with the AIDS victim disagrees with the possibility of mandatory testing to be removed as he says that patients do not deserve to be exposed to potential health risks from their physicians. Most agree that the dentist did in fact infect his patients and despite whether the deed was done intentionally or not public health services should answer to their failure when it came to securing these patients.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

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