[Question #10172] Hiv survive on blood outside the body
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25 months ago
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Hello Doctors
On the last few months i start to worry about the possibility of hiv transfer from touching surfaces with blood on it.
I noticed some blood on the street that I stepped on with my shoes. Its now 60 days since that .. I didn’t use or touch my shoes afraid that there will be blood mark on it stuck. The shoes is in my room in the cabinet.
Q1- If the shoes have blood mark , Can hiv survive on that blood mark for 60 days ? If the shoes is inside the room on the cabinet ?
Q2- if I touched a hiv dry blood on any surface with my hand then practice normal life like eating with my hand and touching my face my mouth without washing my hand can that lead to hiv transfer?
Q3- how long hiv survive in blood spot outside the body ? Some info says it can takes 42 days, is that the maximum ? Or it can even survive for longer on the blood
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
25 months ago
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Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for your questions. HIV is harder to get than many people think and realistically the only way to get HIV is through DIRECT exposure in the context of sex which exposes mucous membranes to infectious fluid or through injection of infectious material directly deep into tissue. While there are laboratory studies which report on extended viability of very high concentrations (far higher than what is normally present in an infected untreated person) of the virus outside of the body under laboratory conditions, the fact is the touching HIV containing blood or secretions is not a risk for HIV, even if the area which touches the material has cuts or scrapes. There re no reports of HIV being acquired from contaminated surfaces (toilet seats, towels, bench tops, door knobs, etc.). In reply to your specific questions:
Q1- If the shoes have blood mark , Can hiv survive on that blood mark for 60 days ? If the shoes is inside the room on the cabinet ?
Absolutely not
Q2- if I touched a hiv dry blood on any surface with my hand then practice normal life like eating with my hand and touching my face my mouth without washing my hand can that lead to hiv transfer?
No, this sort of exposure is a no risk exposure
Q3- how long hiv survive in blood spot outside the body ? Some info says it can takes 42 days, is that the maximum ? Or it can even survive for longer on the blood
See above. There is a big difference between "survival" in which using sophisticated culture methods can grow the virus for prolonged periods from outside the body and being "infectious". The virus becomes non-infectious virtually immediately upon exposure to the environment outside of the body. This is the reason that the situations you describe above at no risk events for which there is no medical or scientific reason for concern or for testing. EWH
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25 months ago
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Thank you Doctor for the explanation
By saying The virus becomes non-infectious virtually immediately upon exposure to the environment outside of the body.
Does a bedroom consider part of the environment even if the sunlight doesn’t reach the room ?
So the hiv virus on blood in worst scenario will takes only few hours to be non-infectious with both sunlight and even without ?
I don’t need to worry and i can wear and touch my shoes safely even if i stepton blood spot since it’s been 60 days now ?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
25 months ago
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Does a bedroom consider part of the environment even if the sunlight doesn’t reach the room ?
YES, absolutely.
There is absolutely no medical or scientific reason for concern related to any of the situations you describe. Please don't worry. EWH
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24 months ago
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So Doctor in the environment Hiv can’t survive more than just few hours? Let’s we say maximum is a day ?
And touching even any Contaminated surface with hiv , is not a risk ? Hiv not spread by touching ?
Thank you Doctor
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
24 months ago
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You are correct on both counts. I assure you that the event you described, put you at no risk whatsoever for acquisition of HIV. As I suspect, you know, we provide up to three responses to each clients questions. This is my third response. Therefore, this thread will be closed shortly without further responses. I hope the information I have provided has been helpful. Please don’t worry EWH ---