In accordance with Circulars 98/228 of April 9, 1998, and 2003-165 of April 2, 2003, the protocol in effect at the Saint-Etienne University Hospital requires that, for any emergency care situation involving a patient identified as a sex worker whose HIV status is unknown, an urgent serological screening be performed on the patient, with their consent. To improve the turnaround time for test results, a change in the procedure for transporting tubes was implemented in May 2003. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the implementation of the protocol for viral serology testing of the PS in cases of AES, the turnaround time for serological results, and the effectiveness of the change in the tube transport procedure. (R.A.)