Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 17, § 2636 - Venereal Diseases

(a) Sections 2636 to 2636(m) inclusive pertain to the venereal diseases and, unless otherwise specified, shall include syphilis, gonococcus infection, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, and chancroid. (See Chapter 765, Statutes 1947; also Section 21100, Health and Safety Code.)

(b) Reports Confidential. Reports of examinations, cases, investigations and all records thereof made under the regulations for the control of venereal diseases shall be confidential and not open to public inspection and no part thereof divulged, except as may be necessary for the preservation of the public health.

(c) Report of Unusual Prevalence. When the local health officer, through investigation, becomes aware of unusual prevalence of venereal diseases, or of unusual local conditions favoring the spread of these diseases, he shall report the fact at once to the State Department of Health Services.

(d) Parents or Guardians Responsible for Compliance of Minors. The parents or guardians of minors suffering from a venereal disease shall be legally responsible for the compliance of such minors with the requirements of the regulations relating to the venereal diseases.

(e) Certification. Each local health officer shall take every proper means of repressing prostitution, inasmuch as it is the most prolific source of the venereal diseases. Health officers and physicians shall not issue certificates of freedom from venereal diseases to known prostitutes, as such certificates may be used for purposes of solicitation.

(f) Diagnosis. The local health officer may require the submission of such specimens as may be designated from cases of venereal disease for examination in a laboratory approved by the State Department of Health Services. The local health officer may require any physician in attendance on a person infected with a venereal disease or suspected of being infected with a venereal disease to submit such specimens as approved by the State Department of Health Services provided, however, nothing shall prevent the physician or individual from having additional examination made elsewhere.

(g) Instruction to the Patient. It shall be the duty of the physician in attendance on a person having a venereal disease, or suspected of having a venereal disease, to instruct such patient in precautionary measures for preventing the spread of the disease, the seriousness of the disease, and the necessity for treatment and prolonged medical supervision, and the physician shall, in addition, furnish approved literature on these subjects. Approved literature for distribution to patients may be secured from the State Department of Public Health and the local health departments free of charge.

(h) Investigation. All city, county and other local health officers are hereby directed to use every available means to ascertain the existence of, and immediately to investigate, all reported or suspected cases of venereal disease in the infectious stages within their several territorial jurisdictions, and to ascertain the sources of such infections. The attending physician, in every case of venereal disease coming to him for treatment, shall endeavor to discover the source of infection, as well as any sexual or other intimate contacts which the patient was in the communicable stage of the disease. The physician shall make an effort, through the cooperation of the patient, to bring these cases in for examination and, if necessary, treatment. If, within 10 days of identification, any such source of infection or any such contact has not given satisfactory evidence of being under the care of a physician, such person shall be reported to the health officer, the physician's name being kept confidential in any investigation by the health department. In cases in which prostitutes are named as sources of infection, all obtainable information as to name, description, residence, etc., shall be given to the health officer at once.

In carrying out such investigations, all health officers are hereby invested with full powers of inspection, examination and isolation of all persons known to be infected with a venereal disease in an infectious stage, or suspected of being infected with a venereal disease in an infectious stage and are hereby directed:

(1) To make such examinations as are deemed necessary of persons reasonably suspected of having a venereal disease in an infectious stage.

(2) When the individual to be examined is a woman, to provide the services of a woman physician if such physician is available, when so requested by the individual to be examined.

(3) To isolate such person, whenever deemed necessary for the protection of the public health. In establishing isolation the health officer shall proceed as provided in Sections 2636(i), 2636(j), 2636 (l) and 2636(m).

(4) Pursuant to Section 3194.5 of the Health and Safety Code, a person employed by a Public Health Department shall meet the following training requirements as a prerequisite to the performance of venipuncture or skin puncture:

(A) Possess a statement signed by a licensed physician and surgeon stating that the individual named in such statement has received adequate training in the proper procedure to be employed in the performance of venipuncture and skin puncture.

(B) In order to receive such statement, the venereal disease case investigator shall be trained by a licensed physician and surgeon. The trainee shall observe and receive sufficient instruction and demonstration of the proper technique and procedure to be employed in the performance of venipunctures and skin punctures; in turn, the physician and surgeon shall then observe the procedure and technique of the trainee.

(C) When such training has been completed by the trainee to the satisfaction of the physician and surgeon, such physician and surgeon shall execute a statement that the venereal disease case investigator has received adequate training in the proper procedure to be employed in the performance of venipuncture and skin puncture.

Satisfaction of these training requirements shall be in addition to other requirements of Section 3194.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(i) Isolation. Any person who presents himself (or herself) to any physician or person for treatment or diagnosis of any venereal disease except late syphilis shall be considered to be in modified isolation. The requirements of this isolation shall be considered fulfilled if the patient remains under adequate and proper treatment until the completion of the course of treatment, except in instances in which, because of occupation, suspicion of prostitution, or other reason, the health officer deems more strict isolation necessary to safeguard other persons.

(j) Violation of Isolation to be Reported. Whenever any person while in the infectious or potentially infectious stage of a venereal disease, lapses from treatment for a period of more than 10 days after the time appointed for such treatment, the said diseased person shall be deemed to have violated the requirements of isolation, and the physician or person in attendance upon such case shall report the same at once to the local health department, giving the person's name, address, and report number, together with such other information as requested on the card provided for this purpose, except that this shall not be required in instances in which a report has been received that the patient is under treatment elsewhere.

(k) If any person has knowledge that a person infected with a venereal disease is failing to observe adequate precautions to prevent spreading infection, he shall report the facts at once to the local health officer.

(l) Gonorrhea. A case of gonococcus infection of the genitourinary tract shall be regarded as subject to isolation until the local health officer is reasonable satisfied that the disease is no longer communicable.

(m) Syphilis. A case of syphilis shall be regarded as subject to isolation until, under treatment, all syphilitic lesions of the skin or mucous membrane are completely healed and a competent clinical examination fails to show the presence of any area from which infection may be spread. Any patient who refuses or otherwise fails to receive a full course of a currently accepted method of treatment, or who discontinues treatment prematurely, may be subjected to strict isolation if the health officer deems it necessary.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 17, § 2636

1. New subsection (h)(4) filed 2-14-73; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 73, NO. 7).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 102.208 and 3194.5, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Section 3194.5, Health and Safety Code.

1. New subsection (h)(4) filed 2-14-73; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 73, NO. 7).