Klarinet Archive - Posting 000182.txt from 1999/01

From: Neil Leupold <consult@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] HIV via saliva
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 13:59:16 -0500

------ @-----.412F6CA0

From: Diane Karius, Ph.D. [SMTP:dikarius@-----.edu]

>> Because the viral load of HIV in the blood (translation: the number
>> of HIV "particles" in the blood) is very low (virtually
>> undetectable unless you know where to look), the infection rate
>> from an accidental needlestick (with a contaminated needle in a
>> healthcare setting) is currently 0.2 - 0.3%.

It's interesting that you mention an accidental needlestick. There is
a frightening story circulating via email about a woman who went to
a movie theater, sat down in her chair, and felt something sharp. The
story indicates that when she stood up, she discovered that she had
sat on a syringe with a hypodermic needle, along with an attached note
which said, "Welcome to the real world. This needle has been infected
with HIV." As a precaution, she went to the doctor and submitted to a
blood test. The results for HIV were positive. I don't know if this story
is true, but the description suggests the conditions of an accidental
needlestick. Would this woman be among your cited 0.2 - 0.3%
infection rate?

Diane also wrote:

>> Having said all that - in complete honesty there are some other
>> viruses that I am whole lot more concerned about. The preferred
>> route for transmission of several viruses (e.g. Ebstein-Barr) is
>> saliva. These probably won't kill you but can make your life pretty
>> miserable. Although it is not easiest way to catch hepatitis B and
>> C, the risk of catching either of those via saliva is greater than
>> the risk of catching HIV (by comparison, accidental needlesticks of
>> hep. B infected blood carry a 10 - 30% chance of transmission).

So what you're saying is that while HIV is not a major concern, there
are other diseases more easily transmitted via saliva about which we
have good reason to be concerned when it comes to playing somebody
else's clarinet setup. It's bad enough to catch somebody else's cold.
I'd hate to unwittingly catch hepatitis from a student who failed to warn
me of a recent illness.

Neil

------ @-----.412F6CA0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org
------ @-----.412F6CA0--