--- Mario Goveia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Medical practitioners have been infected by needles >and scalpels, and take special precautions in >operating and emergency rooms. >
The risk of HIV transmission to healthcare workers including medical practitioners is not at all comparable to that faced by the general public from discarded needles in public places. Any comparison between the two is unwaranted, ill-advised and irresponsible. Even so, the risk faced by healthcare workers is itself very low. It is on the order of 0.3%. Please see the following article for information about this occupational hazard: http://www.avert.org/needlestick.htm > >If someone follows OUR suggestions to watch where >they sit in a public place all that will happen is >they will avoid infection. If they believe you or >Santosh or George or Mervyn or Gabe, they may get >infected. > Please disregard the above mischaracterization of my position. It stems from excessive defensiveness, and a persistent need to attack perceived opponents in debate. My position is that there is no need to raise any kind of alarm regarding the risk of catching HIV from a needle stick in a public place. Please read the following excerpt from a statement provided Doctors Reform Society of Australia and written by Dr. Andrew Gunn: "The risk of contracting diseases from improperly discarded needles is tiny - for three reasons. First, viruses only live a limited time in discarded needles. Survival of HIV (the AIDS virus) is usually measured in minutes. Many needles in parks will have been there for days, if not weeks. Second, Australia has relatively low rates of many infections in injecting drug users, still around 2% for HIV. Countries lacking good needle exchange programs have higher rates and experience subsequent spread of HIV into the general community. Third, even an infectious needle will not usually transmit infection. For instance, the risk of acquiring HIV from an injury with a freshly infected needle is only about 1 in 250. The risk for hepatitis C is about 3%. The risk for hepatitis B is considerably higher, up to 30%, but immunisation and post-exposure treatment are widely available for this. I have two young children who like to play in parks. I believe the needles are a hazard, but less dangerous than the swings." Cheers, Santosh