Hello, thank you for the work you do. I help at a center for people that gives breakfast and clothing to people in need in Barcelona, ​​Spain. The other day, a man around 70 years old was with a volunteer also around 60 years old and they were trying to sew a hat from the person who was going to the center to take some clothes. They couldn't put the thread on the sewing needle so they asked me for help. I was wearing gloves. When I approached to help, I noticed that the volunteer had some blood on his finger, an open wound that he later told me he had made with a kitchen knife at home. When I tried to help, I felt like I was pricked by the sewing needle, I couldn't see if the needle had blood or something. To see if the glove had become hollow, I filled it with water and it didn't look like it had any holes at first sigth. There was no blood or visible wound in my finger. Is it possible that the hole was so small that I got some blood and gave me HIV? Should I get tested? What possibilities of contagion are there in this case?

Welcome to our Forum. Than you for your confidence in our service.  I'll be glad to comment.---

Thanks for your answer. It's really helpfull. Numbers ussually help me a lot. I read that usual chances of hollow needles in hospitals infection with HIV is 1 in 400 cases. What would you say the numbers are in this case? Have there been cases of sewing needles transmiting infection to people? Thanks again.

The 1 in 400 figure is for hollow point needles which have been previously used on a person with HIV.  You do not know that the person you’re referring to had HIV, nor is there any evidence that you had a penetrating stick.  As I said above, the event “ almost certainly did not put you at risk for H…”.  Given all the evidence that this was no risk, putting a number on it serves no purpose.  EWH ---

Thanks Edward, so to be absolut clear, this was a NO risk exposure to HIV. Thanks!

Correct , no risk.---