BEATTY -- Shady Lady's Ranch brothel owner Bobbi Davis said it would be perfectly legal for her to offer male prostitutes as well as female prostitutes at her establishment north of here on rural Highway 95.

But others raised questions how the gigolos would comply with the health inspections required for prostitutes by state law.

State Epidemiologist Ihsan Azzam referred to Nevada Administrative Code 441A.800 which prescribes testing prostitutes for sexually transmitted diseases. They are to provide a blood sample for human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis, as well as a cervical specimen to test for gonorrhea and chlamydia.

"Until that is cleared up, a prostitute has to have a cervix. So I don't think a man would be able to meet that expectation to be regularly tested. They can be tested for HIV, They can be tested for chlamydia through the urine but for the cervical expectation there has to be a female for the recordation of the specimen," Azzam said.

Changing the health screening for prostitutes in the Nevada Administrative Code is not an easy thing, Azzan said. He said the rules have worked very well at keeping brothels free of sexual diseases. Regulations also require customers to wear condoms.

Davis didn't think it was a problem complying with the law by omission.

"That part of the law doesn't apply to a man because males don't have cervixes," Davis said.

She added, "there are women that have been approved to work in Nye County in other houses (of prostitution) that don't have cervixes that have had them removed due to cancer or other medical problems. They've been allowed to work for years. If they hold us up on that then it's almost a discrimination thing."

The Nye County District Attorney's Office was asked to research the request, first detailed by Sheriff Tony DeMeo to the Nye County Licensing and Liquor Board Tuesday.

The Nye County Brothel Ordinance defines prostitution as "a male or female person who for a fee engages in sexual intercourse" and other sexual acts.

Prostitutes applying for brothel cards must give a photograph, fingerprints, a list of all prior arrests, a valid health certificate and sign a waiver allowing a check of past employment and criminal records.

No person may work for a brothel license holder who has been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude. Medical tests must be performed at least every week by a physician, physician's assistant or registered nurse. The county's brothel ordinance spells out weekly tests for gonorrhea using an endocervical culture.

Back in 2005 Heidi Fleiss, the former Hollywood Madam who moved to Pahrump, announced she wanted to open a male brothel, Heidi's Stud Farm. Fleiss later announced she was abandoning that effort.

At the time DeMeo said brothel owners had issues with Fleiss's suggestion that offering male prostitutes was going too far.

"There was a lot of concern from people in the industry looking at the pitfalls this may bring. They brought some things into consideration that may actually be the thumb in the eye of the people of Nevada to proceed with legislation to do away with brothels in Nevada," the sheriff said.

"Brother owners have some concerns whether or not this may cause some undue publicity for a business that has been so far under the radar. They don't really do that much advertising," DeMeo said.

Davis has tried numerous schemes to improve business.

In 2004 she successfully persuaded Nye County commissioners to change the licensing fees for a new category of six to 10 prostitutes. Before that, one fee was charged for establishments with anywhere from six to 25 prostitutes.

In July 2007, Davis was one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that overturned a ban on advertising brothels in federal court.

When the price of gas went to more than $4 per gallon last year, Davis gave away free gas cards to attract customers who spent a certain amount on the ladies. After that she gave away free gift cards.

DeMeo said Davis already holds a brothel license, it will be up to the Nye County Licensing and Liquor Board, a six-member board consisting of the Nye County Commissioners and the sheriff, to decide whether she has to appear before the board to make the change.

Davis said she will begin interviewing men from their early 30's to mid 50's this month. They will be housed in a new building she constructed recently behind the existing brothel for women, The Peacock Cottage.