Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Miami Herald - Friday, November 3, 1995
David Hancock, Herald Staff Writer
"She said, 'I've got AIDS, and I hope you get it. I should have spit inside your mouth,' " said Dumay, 28, a four-year veteran who patrols Liberty City. "I saw the mark on my arm, and I was a little scared."
However, it's unlikely that Dumay became infected. The bite did not break the skin. Even so, the department will have him tested for HIV today, and do follow-up tests six months and a year later. The woman who bit him, Cheryl Burnes, 32, is also being tested.
"He's pretty calm about it," said Delrish Moss, a spokesman for the department. If it turns out that Burnes is not infected with HIV, it will be up to the Dade state attorney's office whether to proceed with the attempted murder charge, Moss said.
About 10 a.m., Dumay was dispatched to Northwest 61st Street and 11th Avenue. Burnes was waiting, beer can in hand, to complain that a drug dealer had ripped her off on a $20 marijuana purchase.
While Dumay was interviewing the alleged dealer, Burnes began hitting the man. That's when Dumay decided to arrest her, and got bitten on his mid left arm.
"As the day goes by, I'm not that worried about it anymore," Dumay said. "I was told that since she didn't puncture through the skin, that most likely I didn't catch anything."
In March, an HIV-positive Gainesville man was convicted of attempted third-degree murder for biting a policeman. He was sentenced to 10 years.
Last month, Palm Beach health officials documented their first case of HIV transmission from a bite. But health workers stress it was an unusual situation -- a blood-to-blood transmission in which an HIV-positive woman with bleeding gums severely bit an elderly man, taking a chunk of his skin.
"If the skin is not broken, it's very unlikely (the officer) got it," said Ann Prochilo, an information officer with the AIDS service agency Health Crisis Network. "Biting is not an efficient mode of transmission."
Copyright © 1995 - Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Miami Herald, Permissions, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 TEL: (305) 376-3719. http://www.herald.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1995. 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, 1995. 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. .