A systematic review of risk of HIV transmission through biting or spitting: implications for policy.

ABSTRACT: The perceived threat of HIV transmission through spitting and biting is evidenced by the increasing use of "spit hoods" by Police Forces in the UK. In addition, a draft parliamentary bill has called for increased penalties for assaults on emergency workers, citing the risk of communicable disease transmission as one justification. We aimed to review literature relating to the risk of HIV transmission through biting or spitting. A systematic literature search was conducted using Medline, Embase and Northern Lights databases and conference websites using search terms relating to HIV, AIDS, bite, spit and saliva. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identified citations. We classified plausibility of HIV transmission as low, medium, high or confirmed based on pre-specified criteri

SUBMITTER: Cresswell FV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6120498 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature