The complaint on the board was HIV exposure, a serious concern. I walk in the room to find a 38 year old woman slightly disheveled with loose clothing and a cage.
I turn to the patient: "Hello my name is Dr. Anonymous I heard from the nurse that you were concerned about HIV exposure. Can you tell what happened to you recently"
The patient looks up: "Oh it's not me I'm concerned about"
There is some rustling in her coat and I take a step back.
"Well there better be another person in this room" I said.
She pulls out a monkey. Not a picture, stuffed animal, or drawing, but an actual monkey. The patient states that her neighbor has HIV and that the monkey was in the apartment building and bit him. The patient is concerned that the monkey might have HIV.
I ask a few questions about what changes have you noticed in the monkey when I realized the stupidity of that venture and go back to my attending. After a deliberation with two HIV PhDs and the center for animal control for our state I find out it is unlikely if not impossible for HIV to go back to our simian counterparts.
I turn to the patient: "Hello my name is Dr. Anonymous I heard from the nurse that you were concerned about HIV exposure. Can you tell what happened to you recently"
The patient looks up: "Oh it's not me I'm concerned about"
There is some rustling in her coat and I take a step back.
"Well there better be another person in this room" I said.
She pulls out a monkey. Not a picture, stuffed animal, or drawing, but an actual monkey. The patient states that her neighbor has HIV and that the monkey was in the apartment building and bit him. The patient is concerned that the monkey might have HIV.
I ask a few questions about what changes have you noticed in the monkey when I realized the stupidity of that venture and go back to my attending. After a deliberation with two HIV PhDs and the center for animal control for our state I find out it is unlikely if not impossible for HIV to go back to our simian counterparts.
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