THE health authorities have written to 105 patients treated by a doctor who has since been diagnosed as HIV positive.
The patients, who were treated at hospitals in Letterkenny and Limerick, have been told they run little risk of contracting the virus.
The doctor is believed to have left the country.
Last night, Dr Fiona Mulcahy, an expert on AIDS, said that any patient operated on by the doctor involved should wait for three months before taking an AIDS test and then take a second one after six months.
"If the first one turns up negative, then the chances of it coming up positive in six months are very slim. They should be very reassured at that point", according to Dr Mulcahy.
A total of 105 patients - 80 of whom were treated in Letterkenny General Hospital between July 1st and November 4th, and 25 in Limerick Regional Hospital between March 25th and June 13th are being contacted by the hospitals. They are being offered HIV testing, advice and counselling.
The doctor involved has not been named but is believed to be from Africa. He failed to attend a prearranged HIV test last Monday and the health boards say he has left Ireland.
"He is a qualified medical practitioner and we have had no problems with him", said Dr Kevin Kelleher, director of public health at the Mid Western Health Board.
In a joint statement, Dr Kelleher and his counterpart at the North Western Health Board, Dr Sean Denyer, said they could state quite categorically that in the vast majority of cases there is absolutely no danger of patients having been infected".
They said both health boards had already identified the relevant patients who were due to receive letters today. The GPs of these patients have also been contacted in both regions.
The suspicion was raised at Letterkenny on November 4th that the doctor may have had a condition which "may or may not have been associated with HIV infection", according to the statement. The doctor went on sick leave and there were no further risks to patients from that date.
The diagnosis of his original condition was confirmed on November 18th. However, this still left doubt as to whether or not he was HIV positive. It was necessary to get the doctor's co operation to establish with certainty whether he was HIV negative or positive.
"Consent was finally obtained", said the statement, but the doctor failed to attend for testing at the beginning of this week.
Following legal advice, the MidWestern Health Board undertook testing on a blood sample which had been voluntarily given by the doctor previously in conjunction with the hepatitis B test. This test proved to be HIV positive.
Freephone information lines have been set up to provide confidential advice and information to anyone who is worried. Limerick: 1800 767574 and Letterkenny: 1800 202300.