[Question #13749] Worried about HIV

28 days ago

I had surgery to remove a pilar cyst on my forehead. I returned to the hospital as my stitches came out and my wound was bleeding a lot.

I am worried about HIV from touching the doors in the hospital, my apartment block and in the Uber on the way as I had to wipe the blood away before applying fresh tissue paper. Of course this meant touching the wound at times.

My friend is an STI nurse in the hospital and she said HIV IS NOT transmitted this way and there is ZERO NEED TO TEST.

She added that even if traces of positive blood had been on my hands - the necessary cells for infection are deep inside the body? She therefore assured me that there will never be infection without vagina/rectum intercourse or drug equipment (which I do not do).

Do you agree with the advice I have been given?

Can I move on with my life without any lingering fear of HIV (and zero need to test)?

Can I resume unprotected sex with my girlfriend?

Thank you

Edward W. Hook M.D.

28 days ago

Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions. I’ll be glad to comment. I agree with your friend. There is zero possibility that you acquired HIV through environmental contact with contaminated door knobs or surfaces which might have been contaminated by an untreated HIV infected person. HIV becomes uninfectious when exposed to the environment and infection is not transferred through transfer on the fingers, even when an open wound is touched by something that just touched an infected/contaminated area.

Surface contamination does not transmit HIV. infectious material must be injected deep into tissue to cause infection.

You are not at risk. There is no medical or scientific need for testing and no need to abstain from unprotected sex with your regular partner. EWH

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28 days ago

Thank you for your prompt reply, Dr Hook. I have been worried sick!

I hope you don’t mind answering one more question for me:

My wife and I briefly separated 2 months ago and I went on dates with 2 different women (HIV status unknown for each as I DID NOT HAVE INTERCOURSE with either). They are not needle users, however, I do not know about their sex life or dating history.

The only activities were:

ME SUCKING AND LICKING ONE GIRL’s BREASTS
DEEP / FRENCH KISSING WITH BOTH (sometimes vigorous and up to an hour each)
ME FINGERING ONE GIRL’s VAGINA

I have read answers on the forum this afternoon and see yourself and Dr Handsfield say the above events are NO RISK for HIV and there is NO NEED FOR TESTING following such events.

Am I definitely in the clear regarding HIV? Any reassurance you can give me in my own circumstances is greatly appreciated. I just want to move on with my life without any worry for HIV now my wife and I are back together and for today to be the last time I am reminded of these events.

Thank you.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

28 days ago

We ask clients to stick to one question. I'l provide you with a brief response. I think you have a misunderstanding of how HIV is spread as well as how hard it it to transmit. The severity of the disease seems to have contributed to such misunderstandings. The internet makes things worse. I appreciate you having looked at past threads on the Forum. I suspect that because you have, you know what I'm about to say. The sorts of activities you describe are NO RISK for HIV.

For all practical purposes, HIV is spread ONLY through unprotected penetrative sexual contact or injection of infected material deep into tissue. It is NOT spread by kissing sucking breasts, licking breasts or masturbation (fingering). Even with penetrative sex, the average risk for infection following a single exposure to an untreated infected partner is less, and typically far less, than 1%.

Bottom line- you are in the clear with no scientific or medical need for testing. There is no reason to do anything other than move forward with your life as before without concern. EWH

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