[Question #12871] bleeding cut
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4 months ago
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last night at an event i cut my thumb on a metal lid to a water bottle.
it was bleeding so i put my mouth on the cut to get some of the blood off of my finger.
about two minutes later i found a first aid room. the worker was not wearing gloves. he handed me a few bandaids and an isopropyl wipe and a little packet of what seemed to be antiseptic cream but i did not read the label. he opened the isopropyl wipe packet for me.
i took out the wipe, wiped the cut and then i opened the cream packet put some one my opposite hand finger and rubbed some of the cream using my finger and applied that then applied a bandaid.
my concern is that he was not wearing gloves and i did not have the opportunity to wash my hands before caring for the wound.
if he has a bleeding cut could and there was some blood on the packets he handed me and opened for me in the case of the isopropyl wipe is there any hiv risk since i use these on my cut? also, the finger i put the cream on to apply to the cut had not been washed. any hiv risk there since i rubbed the cream into the cut without washing my hand first?
thank you.
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4 months ago
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oh, also, i mention i put my mouth on the fresh cut as i was drinking from a lidded cup i had just purchased moments before.
again if that led had some infected material on it could that have hiv risk either?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
4 months ago
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Welcome back to the Forum. Thanks for your questions. I happened to be on the site when your questions arrived so you are receiving a response far more quickly than if typical. Any follow-ups may take much longer.
I'll be glad to comment on several facets of your questions. As a generalization however, while I wish you had time to wash your hands before you applied your first aid cream, I would have no concerns about the events you describe. as a clarification:
---1. With a recent cut such as yours, the flow of blood is OUT no in. For infection to be introduced, infected material would need to be introduced (injected) deep into tissue or directly into the blood stream.
2. Health care workers typically wear gloves to protect themselves, not to protect patients.
3. HIV is not transmitted through touching or transfer through contact with inanimate objects. The virus becomes non-infectious almost immediately upon exposure to the environment. HIV would not be transmitted through contact with a blood contaminated isopropyl alcohol wipe, drink lid or other inanimate object
4. The likelihood that the person in the aid station has HIV is miniscule.
I would have no concerns regarding the events you describe and see no medical or scientific reason for testing. EWH
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4 months ago
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thank you.
you said ‘HIV would not be transmitted through contact with a blood contaminated isopropyl alcohol wipe, drink lid or other inanimate object’
do you mean this is the case when blood contaminated objects which contact a fresh bleeding cut like mine — no hiv transmission risk? which would also therefore include my dirty finger used to rub the cream into the cut if also the finger was somehow contaminated?
no hiv risk?
thank you
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
4 months ago
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Yes, I meant including when blood contaminated objects contact a fresh, bleeding wound. No risk!
No change in my assessment. EWH
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