Southland porn actress tests positive for HIV

A Southland actress has tested positive for HIV, renewing concerns that the porn industry lacks sufficient safety measures to prevent the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The new case was confirmed Wednesday by the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, a San Fernando Valley-based clinic that serves adult-film stars in Sherman Oaks and Granada Hills.

Public health officials, however, said that no official report had been made at the state or county level.

Dr. Jonathan Fielding, Los Angeles County's chief health office, said that his office was launching an investigation.

Officials from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health also told the newspaper that they will look into the circumstances of the case -- the first publicly confirmed HIV infection in Southern California's porn industry since 2004, when an HIV outbreak shut down production for four weeks.

At that time, a porn actor who had returned from working in Brazil spread the virus to three actresses who had performed with him. A transsexual performer unrelated to the other cases also tested positive.

In the latest case, HIV tests of the woman's partners have been negative for the virus, Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation officials said.

Those partners are not being allowed to perform at this time and are being encouraged to test again in 14 days, said Brooke Hunter, the clinic's administrator.