6 weeks after the exam bed incident I previously mentioned, I had a rapid HIV AgAb finger-stick (lancet) test for reassurance at a doctor office today, result was negative. The blood sample was taken from my index finger, creating a small finger-stick wound. While waiting for the result, approximately 5-10 minutes passed as I chatted with the doctor before going to the restroom. This means the finger-stick had been performed only minutes before I went to the restroom. 

In the restroom, I used my thumb and middle finger to touch the door handle and the toilet flush button(if. contaminated). I then rinsed my hands with water first, shortly after with soap and wash again. 

I understand that touching surfaces(even if contaminated) with intact skin is not a risk. I was careful not to let my index finger with the recent wound to touch any surfaces until I returned  home 40 mins later. Therefore, my main concern is only if handwashing process itself could transfer HIV/STDs into my recent wound, since it all happened in a short time. 

Q1: During the handwashing process, is it possible that running water over my hands could "transport" HIV or STDs pathogens from my thumb or middle finger into very recent small finger-stick wound on my index finger and caused infection?

Q2: Even if hypothetically assume that my index finger with recent wound had directly touched the contaminated door handle or flush button, would that create any risk of HIV/STD transmission? 

Q3: Would this entire situation still be considered  no exposure and no risk? 

Thanks so much again for your time. 

 

Q1. No, this doesn't happen.

Q2. Also no.

Q3. Yes:  no exposure, no risk.

You will never be at risk for HIV, STI, or any blood borne infections until and unless you have sex or share drug injection equipment with a potentially infected person. Believe it and do not come to this forum with questions about any other risks you are concerned about. If similar fears are impacting your life as much as I suspect, professional counseling may be in order. Such fears often are due to germophobia or other variants of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). I make these suggestions from compassion, not criticism.

Best wishes to you.

HHH, MD

I think the reason I'm still anxious is because I had just had a finger-stick lancet puncture about 5 minutes before using the restroom. If there had been no fresh wound, I would not be concerned. 

Hope you could clarify some points:

1. During handwashing, is there any possibility that running water could transfer HIV/STD pathogens from another finger (that may have touched contaminated restroom surfaces, such as someone else's body fluids) into my recent finger-stick wound? My understanding is that running water would wash virus, bacteria, pathogens away rather than carry them into a wound- Am I correct? Or is there any other reason why this type of scenario doesn't happen?

2. Before I went to the restroom, the finger-stick site seems like appeared to have stopped bleeding. I did not see any active bleeding during handwashing. Since the bleeding had stopped, does that mean the site was already sealed and protected from viruses or bacteria entering? acting like normal intact skin at that point? 

3. Does a very recent( about 5 minutes earlier) lancet puncture change the "no exposure/ no risk" assessment in this situation? 

4. To confirm, contact with restroom or other environment surfaces- even if contaminated- cannot transmit HIV/STDs, regardless of whether I had a recent finger-stick puncture. Is this correct? 

Thanks again for your patience.

2. No, it doesn't necessarily mean that. But who cares? There has never been an HIV infection known to occur from such an event. The biological reasons don't matter.

3. No change.

4. Correct.

I'm glad you appreciate my concluding comments above. I assume you'll also not mind if I now point out that the very nature of these questions reinforces my speculation about the psychological factors in play.

Although I did not see any visible blood or body fluids, I became anxious about the theoretical possibility that microscopic contamination from surface might have been present on my finger that touched surface and then carried by the running water to the small puncture wound.

Afterward, I washed hands thoroughly with soap. However, I remain concerned that the brief rinsing with plain tap water before applying soap might have rinsed any HIV,HCV, or other STIs virus/bacteria to enter through the small punture wound as an "entry point".

1. Still no risk for HIV,HCV,other STIs? need any testing?

2. Any documented cases of HIV, HCV or other STIs transmitted through handwashing or via running water like this?

3. When you mentioned " probably for any other infection as well", did you mean there's also zero risk for other STIs or Hepatitis C? 

Bold statement is correct? 

Thank you! 

1. Still no risk.

2. Nothing like this has ever been known to happen.

3. Zero risk for the ones you mention -- also no risk of staph, influenza, colds, or any other infection you might think of.

4. Correct statement.