Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - 27 Oct 1995
Jim Loney; Reuter

The incident, although believed to be unique, does not represent any change in the known methods of transmitting HIV, which causes AIDS, because the prostitute had blood in her mouth and the bite tore the man's skin, health officials said.

The nature of the incident indicates the virus was passed from blood to blood, a common and well-documented method of AIDS infection, the experts said.

"This is clearly a bloody saliva transmission," said Dr. Sanford Kuvin, vice-chairman of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. "There are no new methods of transmission."

Health officials in Palm Beach County, where the incident occurred last year, have issued warnings to employees at day care centers, schools, fire departments and hospitals to be aware of the dangers of bites.

But state officials emphasized that the case was a rare instance and that there have been many bites involving AIDS patients over the years without infection of the victim.

"The main message is for people not to be overly alarmed. Everything we know about this is a blood-to-blood transmission," said Tom Liberti, administrator of Florida's Office of Disease Intervention.

Investigators with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) used DNA testing over the past few months to determine that a strain of the AIDS virus infecting the prostitute matched the strain found in the man she bit while robbing him last year in West Palm Beach.

The prostitute, Naomi Morrison, had bleeding gums when she bit Elmer Hutto deeply several times on the hand, arm and leg during the robbery, according to press reports.

Hutto was attacked by the prostitute after she flagged down his car on Aug. 24, 1994. He told police he stopped because he thought Morrison was injured.

She demanded money and opened the door of Hutto's car, jumped inside and grabbed his wallet, police said. During a struggle, Morrison bit him in three places and ripped the skin off with her teeth.

A charge of attempted murder against Morrison was dropped when she agreed to plead guilty to other counts. She is now serving a 10-year sentence for robbery and burglary.

Beth Owen, spokeswoman for the state health department in Palm Beach County, said the man tested HIV-negative immediately after the attack but positive six weeks later.

"Other possible explanations for the transmission such as drug use or sexual contact ... were all ruled out," she said.

Hutto, now 92, moved in with his daughter near West Palm Beach and is weak and in pain, his family said.

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