South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL › Subchapter 61-21 - Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A.
		  Definitions
(1) Sexually transmitted diseases
		  or STDs -Any of a diverse group of infections caused by biologically dissimilar
		  pathogens and transmitted by sexual contact. Sexual transmission is the only
		  important mode of spread of some of the infections in the group while others
		  can also be acquired by non-sexual means. These infections include but are not
		  limited to: syphilis, gonorrhea, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum,
		  chancroid, genital herpes, chlamydia infection, nongonococcal urethritis,
		  hepatitis B, hepatitis C, pelvic inflammatory disease, and human
		  immunodeficiency virus infection.
(2) AIDS -Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome;
		  that medical condition that meets the most recent AIDS case definition of the
		  Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
(3) Department -The South Carolina Department
		  of Health and Environmental Control.
(4) CDC -The Centers for Disease Control of
		  the United States Public Health Service.
(5) HIV -Human Immunodeficiency Virus,
		  identified as the cause of HIV infection and AIDS.
(6) HIV Test -Any diagnostic test or series
		  of tests generally accepted by medical, laboratory or public health authorities
		  for determining infection of an individual with HIV.
(7) HIV Infection or HIV Infected -Infected
		  with HIV, as evidenced by a positive HIV test validated by an approved
		  confirmatory HIV test or other test or combination of tests considered valid by
		  the Department.
(8) Contact
		  (referring to a person) -A person who has been exposed or has been reported to
		  have been exposed to semen, vaginal fluids, blood, or body fluids containing
		  blood, or other body fluids designated as infectious for HIV by the CDC or the
		  Department.
(9) Contact (referring
		  to a behavior) -A behavior that may result in exposure to another person's
		  semen, vaginal fluids, blood, or body fluids containing blood, or other body
		  fluids designated as infectious for HIV by the CDC or the Department. These
		  behaviors include but are not limited to sexual activity, needle/drug
		  paraphernalia sharing activities, or perinatal transmission which may result in
		  such exposure.
(10) Expose -To
		  present or subject another person to direct contact with semen, vaginal fluids,
		  blood, tissue, organs or body fluids containing blood, or other body fluids
		  designated as infectious by the Department. For purposes of determining sexual
		  exposure to HIV, the proper use of condoms and nonoxynol-9 or other chemical
		  agents recommended by public authorities reduces but does not eliminate the
		  risk of exposure of a sexual partner to HIV infection. The use of bleach to
		  clean needles and/or IV drug equipment reduces but does not eliminate the risk
		  of exposure to a needle-sharing partner to HIV infection.
(11) Suspected STD infection or person
		  suspected of being infected with STD -Person who has had an exposure to STD
		  infection or has been identified as a contact to an STD infected person and
		  whose STD status is unknown.
(12)
		  Lay healthcare giver -Person who is not a licensed health professional and who
		  is or soon will be providing direct hands on healthcare, which poses a
		  significant risk of exposure that may result in HIV or Hepatitis B transmission
		  to the lay healthcare giver from the infected person.