Hiv risk from discarded needle

[London2021]

I had an incident while clearing rubbish at a local beach/ park. A needle attached to a syringe was found and I ended up sticking myself accidentially in the leg after it poked through the rubbish bag.
I doubt the needle was fresh and I could not see any visible blood in the syringe.
Is this a risk for HIV ?
Have seen from another post that the risk for adults aquiring HIV is only through unprotected vaginal or anal sex with penetration and sharing IV drug needles. However, what is ment by sharing drug needle? Is that injecting blood into a vein by inserting the needle in a vein and pushing down the plunger so that the blood is pushed into your body?

[Sara_MHModerator]

As your question has already been answered that you had no risk, we are now closing this thread.

*** thread closed ***

[AnxiousNoMore]

Besides you didn't inject with it, you just got poked so even if quickly done it would be dead on the surface of the needle.

[London2021]

Thanks for accurate advice given! Like I said, after this incidence I somehow look for needles everywhere I go. I have read a couple of your posts and your advice of asking yourself- have I been exposed to any of the three (unprotected vaginal or anal sex with penetration or sharing IV needles) helps a lot! So saying this and knowing what sharing a needle  means and therefore a needle poke will not transmitt HIV, I hope to be able to forget this and move on!

[London2021]

Anxiousnomore - any final advice as how to forget about my event and move on?

[CurfewX]

You have accurately understood the risk from needles.  HIV is not that easy to contract, and in order for transmission to occur, it requires that HIV enter your bloodstream.  This is generally accomplished by inserting a needle directly into a vein and pushing the plunger to inject a substance.

Your experience is not a viable risk for HIV, but you can test 28 days after the event, if it gives you peace of mind.

[London2021]

Thanks for your feedback!  Do you think I need a test? From your answer and the incident I guess not….

[CurfewX]

I would not personally test for this incident.

[London2021]

Just a final question, based on what you stated and from what I understand, getting HIV from a needle stick in a non occupational setting is almost impossible and basically  zero given all the factors that must be present (needle into vein, syringe full of blood and push plunger down) and not something to worry about? Somehow after this incident I have started to lookout for needles everywhere I go, however pretty stupid given the risk you have explained, I need to forget this….

[CurfewX]

You seem to have a firm grasp on the facts, here.  The only remaining hurdle is to forget about this event and move on.

[London2021]

Would be very pleased for any advice for this remaining hurdle….

Just read your journal and it is pretty simple as you stated.
You may be exposed to HIV if you:
1) Have unprotected (no condom) penetrative anal or vaginal sex, OR
2) Share IV drug equipment with other IV drug users.

[CurfewX]

If I had effective advice for overcoming HIV anxiety, I would be a multi-millionaire.  Your best bet is to seek out the help of a professional counselor if you aren't able to move past this event.

[London2021]

Well, yes that is true, however undersnading  the facts and risks do help.
Last, to your knowledge, has anyone been transmitted by a stick from a discarded needle.
And again, many thanks for help and facts.

[London2021]

A non occupational stick

[CurfewX]

Not to my knowledge, but I would not have any way of knowing every specific case.  Let's pretend it happened a couple of times in the history of HIV.   Approximately 76 million people have been infected with HIV.  If it happened 1 or 2 times, your risk would be no greater than 1 in 33 million.  No rational person spends any time concerning themselves with ANY activity that has a 1 in 33 million chance of a negative outcome.

[AnxiousNoMore]

"Approximately 76 million people have been infected with HIV" over 40 years. If there really were 2 times, it isn't going to happen more than 2 in the next 40 years either.

[AnxiousNoMore]

hiv is instantly dead in air so the only way you can even have a theoretical risk is if you are sharing the needle QUICKLY for injection in which case some hiv is possibly briefly protected in some blood in the needle. That didn't happen so no risk.