Hepatitis, HIV infection and AIDS: some issues for the practitioner

Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus among the viral causes of hepatitis are of principal concern to the dentist. A dentist previously infected with HBV is at risk from HDV for there are reservoirs of this infection in the population. Dentists will be most at risk from HBV because of per cutaneous inoculation but in the general population there is emphasis on the non-percutaneous transmission of the virus perinatally. Numerous carriers of HBV are being added to the population annually but their identification is often difficult. Immunization with a hepatitis B vaccine is a protection which all dentists should seek. A booster dose at 5 years is recommended. There is no evidence that hepatitis B vaccine transmits HIV. Transmission of this virus intraoperatively is much less likely than the transmission of HBV but a slight risk is there. To avoid the risk of HBV and HIV infections, full infection control precautions should be observed at all times.