[Question #11900] Can I get HIV from these encounters?

11 months ago

I was sitting in the sauna at my local gym yesterday, and a man who is HIV positive walked in and sat down directly beside of me. I began to cry while this HIV positive man was sitting next to me. My nose was also sort of running, very common when anyone is crying. Can I become infected with HIV from crying tears from my eyes while this HIV positive man was sitting next to me in the sauna?

AND:

I walked into a small gas station and a man was smoking a vape. The smoke was literally filling the air and trapped inside of the gas station. I tried my best not to inhale it, but it was impossible not to inhale it. If the man who was smoking this vape is HIV positive, can I become infected with HIV from inhaling that smoke that he was just inhaling in his lungs and then exhaled into the environment?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

11 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. However, looking at your previous three threads, it is apparent -- and you admitted yourself -- that you have unrealistic fears about HIV and its infectiousness. These are additional examples of the same problem.

Nobody in the world ever gets HIV from exposures anything like these events. As one example, the household contacts of HIV infected persons never become infected even after years of sharing the same homes, toilets, kitchens, towels, etc. That includes the parents of infected small children -- who cuddle and otherwise care for them when they are crying for various reasons. The events you describe are zero risk and you should not be tested for HIV.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

---

11 months ago

Hi Dr. Handsfield! I know I have terrible OCD and anxiety about HIV, I won’t even begin to try to hide that. I try very hard not to worry about this virus. I just hate that somebody had to point out that this person that was sitting next to me in the sauna was HIV positive. It made me get really anxious. I was crying while sitting next to him because I just lost my beloved cat and I couldn’t hold back the tears, so I was also sniffing to sort of hold back the flow of tears/mucus from flowing out of my nose. Does this at all increase the risk of becoming infected with HIV? Can the virus enter through my nasal passages when sniffing/inhaling through my nose while he’s sitting beside of me in the sauna?

Also, about the biotin question in the past. My most recent HIV Ab/Ag blood test was done in December of 2023. The day of that testing in December was approximately 468 calendar days since my last sexual encounter with a woman (September of 2022). I am a straight man. I had stopped taking my Vitamin B-complex supplement, which contained 300mcg (micrograms) of biotin in it, for approximately 9 calendar days before testing. All additional supplements that I take were also stopped for a total of 8 calendar days as well before the testing. My result was Non-Reactive. Should I fully believe and trust my test results are a true negative and that I do not have HIV? I have never injected a needle into my arms and I have not had sex in 2 full calendar years. Do you think I need any additional testing in your opinion? Should I move on from this with total confidence that I am fine and do not have HIV?

These are my last and only questions. I thank you for your time and responses.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

11 months ago

There is no reason to suppose that tears, sniffles, etc raises the chance of catching HIV from someone nearby.

Your concerns about biotin were addressed in detail -- in all three of your previous forum threads, I think I recall. You eliminated any chance of test interference by not taking biotin for more than a week before testing. I have (and will never have) anything more to say about it.

It's not our responsibilty to work around your OCD; that's all on you. Consider professional counseling if not being done already.

---