Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
|
|
The Associated Press - August 9, 1999
A woman later claimed the needle was hers for treatment of her diabetes, and was clean.
The incident happened at about 4:20 p.m. Sunday, prior to the takeoff of American Airline's Flight 491 from Logan International Airport in Boston to Dallas.
The Texas teen, whom officials would not identify, said he pricked himself while reaching into the crack between the seat cushion and the seatback. The teen was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital and given the anti-AIDS drug cocktail as a precaution.
State troopers took the syringe and the seat cushion for testing, a source told the Boston Herald. Technicians hadn't determined the contents of the needle as of Sunday night.
Officials also were trying to find out the identities of passengers who'd recently occupied the seat where the needle was found.
Around midnight, a diabetic woman from Boston who was on an American Airlines flight told authorities she'd lost a clean syringe on the plane, WBZ radio in Boston reported.
It was not immediately known if the woman traveled on the same plane the teen was aboard.
The immediate concern was whether the needle that pricked the boy was tainted with HIV-contaminated blood. Officials believe the needle could have been in the cushion for days, which may be a benefit to the boy because blood becomes less risky when it's dried out.
The risk of contracting HIV when pricked by a needle from a someone infected with the virus is about one in 300, the paper reported.
990809
AP990808
Copyright © 1999 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1999. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .