Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your questions and your implied confidence in our service. I'll be glad to comment.  I would have no concerns about the possibility of having acquired HIV or other blood borne infections from the events you describe.  I say this based on a combination of factors which, when considered together make your changes of being infected virtually zero.  These facts include: the patient (older and epidemiologically low risk), the fact that the sprayed Propofol came from the tubing going into the patient's vein, not from the vein itself), and the low probability that any of the spray entered your eye.  Tp these facts I would add the fact that there are no instances in which sneezes or other sources of spray have NEVER be proven to transmit HIV.---

Thanks for the response Dr. Hook. I am in the USA so the patient does have great care. I have a few follow up questions if you do not mind...you mentioned..".....there are no instances in which sneezes or other sources of spray have NEVER be proven to transmit HIV." Does this never case transmission include pure bloody fluid eye exposure in HIV positive patients? I was always told in that case it would be 1 in 1000 risk. In my case, I just cannot say how much blood, if any, was "mixed in" with the medication Propofol as the catheter was in the patient vein. Also, I am not sure how much "eye protection" I had as both my lead glasses and prescription glasses underneath had slid forward onto the front of my nose. I did get some eye irritation after procedure but not sure if it was the Propofol exposure or when I washed my face/eyes with soap. Would your advice change any if playing devils advocate it was full bloody exposure and no eye protection with spray into eyes, in worst case scenario? Patient does have history of bipolar manic/depressive which can be hypersexual. Thanks for your input. 

How sad to see a trained health care professional go down the "but what if..." rabbit hole.  It serves no purpose and I will not play those games.  I know of no instances where, in a health care setting, a clinician has acquired HIV from the sort of exposure you describe.  I outlined the reasoning which supports this observation.  You know very well that you were not sprayed with "pure bloody fluid".  Further, while I didn't mention it in my initial comments, please also remember that the blink reflex, the fastest reflex in the human body, protects against such exposures over and above the eye protection that you are now questioning.  ---

Hey Dr. Hook. I ended up testing the patient and patient was negative for HEP/HIV. Also, I did not intend to "go down the what if hole" but was curious how they got to the 1:1000 risk of HIV transmission with mucous membrane exposure? Any studies you can point me to? Anyways, thanks for all you do and appreciate your expertise. 

Thanks for your follow-up.  I'm pleased but not surprised at the results you describe and hope that these results are comforting to you.---