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S. Murphy, MRCPI; P. E. Munday, MD, FRCOG; D. J. Jeffries, FRCPath
St Mary's Hospital Medical School London, England

JAMA. 1989;262(15):2090-2091.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

We agree with Foster and Bartlett¹ that physicians involved in the assessment, treatment, and counseling of rape victims should have a management policy that includes the possibility of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection acquired during the sexual assault. Our current practice is to take a sample of serum for storage, at the initial presentation, with a view to subsequent testing, if required. We then discuss HIV testing 3 months later following HIV pretest counseling to allow documentation of HIV seroconversion should it occur. Given that HIV seroconversion may be more prolonged, subsequent testing may be considered in certain cases.

The risk of acquiring HIV during rape is unknown, and to date there is no effective vaccine or prophylaxis against HIV. To suggest the routine topical administration of nonoxynol 9 or vinegar by the physician or by the victim herself (or himself) is surely premature, and perhaps . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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