HIV test urged for 7,000 Oklahoma dental patients | News OK (http://newsok.com/hiv-test-urged-for-7000-oklahoma-dental-patients/article/feed/520030)

Wow... That is disgusting.

Yes, it really is. Here's another article from News9: Tulsa Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients To HIV, Hepatitis - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/21820518/tulsa-county-dentist-may-have-exposed-patients-to-hiv-hepatitis)

Well, at the very least, he wasn't intentionally killing people like this doctor from Brazil. :P Brazilian doctor may have killed up to 300 patients, investigators say | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/28/brazilian-doctor-may-have-killed-up-to-300-patients-investigators-say/?intcmp=HPBucket)

big numbers. bigger still if one starts pondering whether they've swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone from T-town area who sees the dentist.

Ya know, being a monogamous semi-hermit ain't such a bad thang, not a bad thang at all.

That is disgusting. However, I thought that those viruses pretty much had to be directly transmitted from source to recipient? And that, even just a few minutes of sitting on metal equipment would make it highly improbable that it be transmitted?

Okay, it turns out that my boyfriend had his cleanings done for several years and wisdom teeth removed there, so my question is now urgent.

Tragic, but the odds are that it is highly unlikely transmission can occur with such casual contact. Unless they find that the doctor's blood was coming in direct contact with his patients mucous membranes. Don't be surprised if this is the only (or only one of a couple of) transmissions.

There have been numerous household studies that show that even sharing toothbrushes it would be incredibly difficult to pass on HIV. Hep C though would be easier to transmit.

Needlestick injury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needlestick_injuries)

big numbers. bigger still if one starts pondering whether they've swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone who has swapped spit, or other fluids, with anyone from T-town area who sees the dentist.

Ya know, being a monogamous semi-hermit ain't such a bad thang, not a bad thang at all.wat

Okay, it turns out that my boyfriend had his cleanings done for several years and wisdom teeth removed there, so my question is now urgent.I hope hes okay.

I think it's really irresponsible that national media is playing up the hype of 7,000 potential exposures and not contrasting that with the reality that unless the dentist was doing it intentionally, there is Lowe risk that more than a couple of people may have contradicted HIV - cant speak for Hep C as I don't know much about it.

A dentist named Acer did infect a handful of patients in the late 80's. I don't think it was ever determined how he infected his patients and no similar multiple transmissions have occurred since. No evidence was ever found he did it on purpose, but I personally feel he must have done it either intentionally or with total disregard when doing gum injections and then reporting the needle sticks.

I think it is much easier to contract Hepatitis C outside of the body than HIV. My father had it, and my doctor encouraged my mom to have me tested despite never having any direct contact with his blood. Even after he died, I was tested again.

Well, at the very least, he wasn't intentionally killing people like this doctor from Brazil. :P Brazilian doctor may have killed up to 300 patients, investigators say | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/28/brazilian-doctor-may-have-killed-up-to-300-patients-investigators-say/?intcmp=HPBucket)

What? ..... He was intentionally breaking the rules. ... The most basic rules concerning blood borne pathogens right up to and including specific rules regarding his profession including willful disregard for sterilization practices.. He intentionally had two sets of instruments. One set for people he thought had infectious diseases, and another set for people he thought didn't.

..

That is disgusting. However, I thought that those viruses pretty much had to be directly transmitted from source to recipient? And that, even just a few minutes of sitting on metal equipment would make it highly improbable that it be transmitted?


Not entirely true. While HIV is found in blood and body fluids such as sexual fluids, is is not likely to be found in saliva, and it can not survive outside of the body, but can still be spread through the use of dirty needles and blood transfer.

However, HVC or the HEP C virus can live outside the body for 4 or 5 days, and can be spread through unsafe medical practices and poor sterilization of medical instruments.

What? ..... He was intentionally breaking the rules. ... The most basic rules concerning blood borne pathogens right up to and including specific rules regarding his profession including willful disregard for sterilization practices.. He intentionally had two sets of instruments. One set for people he thought had infectious diseases, and another set for people he thought didn't.Do you think that he was working on his patients thinking to himself "man, I can't wait for this guy to die or bwahahahahaha this guy is going to become infected with a virus or disease and possibly die"? I don't know for a fact that he wasn't thinking that, but I highly doubt it. Not caring and being reckless isn't the same as having the intentions the kill someone, imo.

dang.
fer shure.
[ref. Post 1 ^^^]
wow. (yes: wow/messed up)

Do you think that he was working on his patients thinking to himself "man, I can't wait for this guy to die or bwahahahahaha this guy is going to become infected with a virus or disease and possibly die"? I don't know for a fact that he wasn't thinking that, but I highly doubt it. Not caring and being reckless isn't the same as having the intentions the kill someone, imo.

No,.. your're probably right about that. And I guess I see your point when you put it that way, It would be pure speculation to say what his thoughts were. But you have to say he knew what the mandatory practices are and what the risks are. What he did was still intentional, performed with reckless abandon and premeditation. The fact that he fled the state speaks volumes.

And what about his staff? I believe they should be held accountable as well.

Tragic, but the odds are that it is highly unlikely transmission can occur with such casual contact. Unless they find that the doctor's blood was coming in direct contact with his patients mucous membranes. Don't be surprised if this is the only (or only one of a couple of) transmissions.

There have been numerous household studies that show that even sharing toothbrushes it would be incredibly difficult to pass on HIV. Hep C though would be easier to transmit.

I think you are confused, or I'm just reading it wrong, but the Doctor ins't the one who is the carrier - it was a former patient.

Hopefully things will be discovered that this isn't as bad as it could be. The good thing is with most medical advances, all the diseases are treatable and don't carry the same outcome they once did. Still, I can't imagine what is going through the minds of those that may have been exposed. I would still find it pretty scary.

No,.. your're probably right about that. And I guess I see your point when you put it that way, It would be pure speculation to say what his thoughts were. But you have to say he knew what the mandatory practices are and what the risks are. What he did was still intentional, performed with reckless abandon and premeditation. The fact that he fled the state speaks volumes.

And what about his staff? I believe they should be held accountable as well.I do agree everyone should be held 100% accountable. That is for sure.

57 Oklahoma Dental Patients Test Positive For Hepatitis C - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com | (http://www.newson6.com/story/22015611/57-oklahoma-dental-patients-test-positive-for-hepatitis-c)

Although that number freaked me out, that works out to be less than 2% of the folks who have been tested so far. That's right at what the US average seems to be. So I would guess that most of those people just weren't aware of their infection...

Jayhawk: I was thinking the same thing. The question is, did they indeed get it from the dental visit or did they have had other risk/exposure factors?

I have read that the Health Departments will extensively interview those who tested positive (and probably retest them) to figure out more of the story.