In this chapter:

1. I. "Antibody" means a protein produced by the body in response to specific foreign substances such as bacteria or viruses.

2. II. "Antigen" means a substance that stimulates the production of antibodies.

   II-a. "Communicable hepatitis B virus infection" means the presence of both hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B e antigen in the blood.

3. III. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of health and human services or his designee.

4. IV. "Department" means the department of health and human services.

   IV-a. "Exposure prone invasive procedure" means any medical, surgical, or dental procedure during which a health care worker palpates a needle tip in a body cavity, or any procedure during which a health care worker's fingers and a needle or other sharp instrument or object are present in a poorly visualized or highly confined anatomic site.

   IV-b. "Health care worker" means dentists and dental hygienists licensed under RSA 317-A, nurses licensed under RSA 326-B, physicians licensed under RSA 329, physician associates licensed under RSA 328-D, and podiatrists licensed under RSA 315.

5. V. "Human immunodeficiency virus" means the virus, or its variants, which are the causative agents of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS related conditions, and other clinical manifestations.
6. VI. "Serologic positive" means the presence in an individual, as detected by laboratory testing, of an antibody or antigen to the human immunodeficiency virus.

Source. 1988, 262:2. 1993, 83:2, 3. 1995, 310:97, eff. Nov. 1, 1995. 2025, 105:2, eff. June 17, 2025.