HIV wait after baby finds needle
2002-03-25The Christchurch Press - March 25, 2002
(c) The Christchurch Press, INL 2002.
PALMERSTON NORTH - A Palmerston North mother whose baby daughter found a hypodermic needle on their front lawn and put it in her mouth faces a three-month wait before the baby can be tested for HIV and hepatitis.
The incident happened on March 6, and mother Claire Lucas said it was the worst day of her life. She took Jessica, who was nine months old at the time, with her to check the mailbox outside their Hokowhitu suburban home. She put her baby down on the grass to play while she retrieved the mail.
But the next thing she knew, her daughter had something in her mouth - and when she pulled it out, she discovered it was a rusty intravenous needle. It was not covered and there was no syringe with it.
Jessica was taken to the doctor and for a blood test to check her Hepatitis B immunity. It took two days to find she had good immunity. But Mrs Lucas now has to wait three months for the HIV and Hepatitis B and C test to be done, because the infections cannot be detected earlier.
A spokesman for Palmerston North's needle exchange programme, the Drug and Health Development Project, said such incidents were "fairly rare".
He said in the past where needles had been found, a lot were diabetic insulin or veterinary needles. - NZPA
Supplied by New Zealand Press Association.
(c) 2002. Independent Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.