OFFICIALS of the Mid Western Health Board last night declined to give personal details of the non consultant hospital doctor found to be HIV positive.
The man, whose whereabouts are unknown, is thought to be African. The health authorities believe he has left the State.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, director of public health at the MidWestern Health Board, said yesterday that the board had identified the records of all the patients from counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary whom the doctor had seen in the casualty department or elsewhere in the hospital.
"We have gone through these records and identified 25 people who were particularly at risk," he said.
The doctor also took blood from patients but Dr Kelleher stressed that these patients would not be at risk.
"HIV AIDS is a very rare disease in Ireland and it is extremely difficult to transmit it as a doctor unless the doctor is involved in certain procedures."
Dr Kelleher said the doctor involved in the case became concerned about his health while working in Letterkenny General Hospital.
He consulted a colleague and took sick leave. "It was confirmed on Tuesday of this week that the doctor was HIV positive. The last time he was in contact with patients was on November 4th", said Dr Kelleher.
He also said the doctor had moved from Limerick to Letterkenny as a normal part of his training.
"He is a qualified medical practitioner and we have had no problems with him." Limerick was his first posting in Ireland.
A doctor in Scotland who is HIV positive was still working and practising medicine, said Dr Kelleher.
The health authorities concern was about their patients and their welfare. "Our main task now is to get in touch with them," he added.
Meanwhile, a call for compulsory testing of doctors to be extended to include HIV was made last night by the former junior health minister, Mr Willie O'Dea.
There was a need for public reassurance. Doctors held a unique place in public esteem and it was essential that any fears over public safety were put at ease.
"It is vital that public trust in an already damaged health service is not further eroded. A quick screening programme must be carried out and all patients who may have cause for concern provided with support services.
"We have seen major scandals in the blood transfusion service caused by inaction at an early stage.
"We have to learn from the past and take steps to introduce extended screening for doctors to prevent such scandals", he said.
Mr O'Dea was concerned that the health authorities believed the HIV infected doctor had gone abroad.
"Surely it should be an easy task to trace such a medical practitioner.
"If an improvement in record keeping is warranted, immediate steps must be taken to ensure that the doctors can be traced in the event of any similar situation arising in the future," he added.