Summary
To this day, describes several tens of pathogens which can be transferred during breach of tissue continuity in the course of performing various medical procedures. According to the World Health Organisation, each year approximately 3 million health workers are exposed to blood-borne pathogens. Blood-borne pathogens which frequently exposed to medical personnel while performing medical activities are: virus B and C hepatitis and virus HIV.
In the US every year, there has been a 800 thousand random stab, which result is about 40% of infections hepatitis B and C and 4.4% of reported HIV infections in population of health workers. Every patient staying in a medical facility should provide full information to medical personnel that he/she is HIV positive or Hepatitis B or C positive. Similar information should be communicated by a doctor – who is HIV positive or Hepatitis B or C positive – to patient. The patient should have a choice whether to be treated by a doctor infected. Conscious exposure of another person to HIV infection is a crime.
In this article, the authors present legal consequences of threatening a person who knowingly or unknowingly exposing to HIV infection or venereal disease to another person.