State, district, county, and municipal health officers, in their respective jurisdictions, when in their judgment it is necessary to protect the public health, shall make examination of persons infected or suspected of being infected with a sexually transmitted disease, require persons infected with a sexually transmitted disease to report for treatment appropriate for their particular disease provided at public expense, and request the identification of persons with whom they have had sexual contact or intravenous drug use contact, or both. The health officer may isolate persons infected or reasonably suspected of being infected with a sexually transmitted disease. To the extent resources are available to the Department of Health and Environmental Control for this purpose, when a person is identified as being infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus which causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), his known sexual contacts or intravenous drug use contacts, or both, must be notified but the identity of the person infected must not be revealed. Efforts to notify these contacts may be limited to the extent of information provided by the person infected with HIV. Public monies appropriated for treatment of persons infected with a sexually transmitted disease must be expended in accordance with priorities established by the department, taking into account the cost effectiveness, curative capacity of the treatment, and the public health benefit to the population of the State.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 32-594; 1952 Code Section 32-594; 1942 Code Section 5044-2; 1932 Code Section 1495; Cr. C. '22 Section 440; 1919 (31) 30; 1988 Act No. 490, Section 6.