Clinic risk and potential splash - two scenarios

[AnxiousAlan]

Hello Drs

The last few weeks have me all anxious. I want to know if my fears are warranted. I have two scenarios. I appreciate the help on BOTH. Thanks in advance

Exposure 1

I tested via fingerprick test (rapid hiv 1/2) at a local STD clinic recommeneded by the CDC hotline. It was in a bad neighborhood. I vaguely remember the nurse having gloves, but not 100% sure. The nurse had performed tests before mine..it was a busy clinic. I had a bloody fingernail, which I noticed after the test due to cold weather which was touched by the nurse.

- If there was residual blood on the nurses hands (gloved or not), could this infect me via the small cut in the fingernail (minor bleeding) or even the cut caused by the fingerprick test? Patient before me was tested ~1-2 mins before.
- Any reason to test?
- Is this No risk?
- I assume nurses change out lancets between patients?
- Syringes and needles are changed out between patients for blood draws, right? In case I get a ELISA test at a clinic. Blood draws are safe?


Exposure 2


I may be being irrational here:  I spat out mouthwash onto my sink and some mouthwash splashed me right in the eye...which was annoying. I had masturbated with another guy ~1 week before who used that sink. If there was HIV+ semen or even blood in sink, could it have been picked up by the mouthwash and splashed me in the eye causing HIV risk? Is a week long enough for HIV to be inactive? does Water or soap keep it active?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sigh.  these questions have been anwered. Asking them again is a waste of time.  the answers will not change.  You are not at risk from the scenarios you describe.  EWH

[AnxiousAlan]

My follow up should read:

Last follow up:

The second splash scenario...the virus wouldnt survive a week on the sink surface, correct? How long would it survive?

Also: The mouthwash was Listerine...so fairly alcholic. Any risk for HIV to survive?

Thanks
Alan

[AnxiousAlan]

The mouthwash was Listerine...so fairly alcholic. Any risk?

[AnxiousAlan]

Last follow up:

The second splash scenario...the virus wouldnt survive a week on the sink surface, correct? How long would it survive?

Thanks
Alan

[AnxiousAlan]

I apologise. thanks for your answer. I will not go for additional testing

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You need to be more patinet.  This site is not manned 24/7.

Still no risk.  EWH

[AnxiousAlan]

For the first exposure, you state:

"Further, HIV is not transmitted by touching, even if there is a small  amount of blood present on the surface that it touching you."

My concern was that the small amount touched a small (bleeding cut). Still no risk? I just want to make sure that even IF the nurse had someone elses HIV+ blood and touched my cut, this would be no-risk?

Thanks for Clarifying
Alan

[AnxiousAlan]

For the first exposure, you state:

"Further, HIV is not transmitted by touching, even if there is a small  amount of blood present on the surface that it touching you."

My concern was that the small amount touched a small (bleeding cut). Still no risk? I just want to make sure that even IF the nurse had someone elses HIV+ blood and touched my cut, this would be no-risk?

Thanks for Clarifying
Alan

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. the short answer is that neither of these scenarios presents any risk for HIV or warrants testing. In each situation, were you to become infected, it would be the first such situation in which this occurred.  Breaking them down concern-by-concern:

1.  Lancets, needles and syringes are disposable, designed so that they cannot be re-used and personnel receive extensive safely training. Not a risk. Further, HIV is not transmitted by touching, even if there is a small  amount of blood present on the surface that it touching you.  

2.  Mouthwash typically has low concentrations of alcohol in it, is too acidic, and has too few minerals (sodium, chloride, potassium, etc) for HIV to even be able to survive in it. The same is true for tap water. for this reason, had virus somehow gotten into the material that splashed you, there would be no living virus present in the unlikely situation that contaminated material had been introduced into it.

Soap and water kill the virus almost immediately.  

Neither of these situation warrant any concern or testing.  I hope my comments are helpful to you.  EWH