[Question #13867] Eye & Hand Exposure

4 days ago

I picked up a co worker today on a job (construction) he got into my truck, I shook his hand & he handed me a receipt, I look at it and it had wet blood on it, he says, yea sorry I cut myself just now before I got in. It wasn’t a huge amount of blood but a few drops at least. He was sitting in the passenger seat less than 30 seconds and I was driving, he was looking at his cut and started shaking it because “it hurt” as I look over I feel a wetness in my eye. He is what I would call a High Risk person (Has unprotected sex with men)

My worry and questions are,

1. We shook hands and I have a few open sores on my hand. Will this infect me with HIV or Hepatitis B or C?

2. He flicked a drop of blood into my eye from his hand cut Will this infect me with HIV or Hepatitis B or C? This one scares me the most and now I fear possibly infecting my wife.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

4 days ago

Welcome back to the forum.

This question was pretty well answered in your closing question and my reply the last time you were on the forum less than two weeks ago. Here is my reply then:

Nobody in the world has ever been known to acquire HIV by exposure to the virus or contaminated fluids in the environment, and probably not HBV or HCV either. All these are zero risk, even if previous persons had sustained injuries with the same objects. You will never be at risk for HIV other than by unprotected sex or by shared drug injection needles. No you should not be tested on account of such events.

These questions as well as your original one all suggest you may be obsessed with HIV and/or STIs and might the germophobia version of OCD. If thoughts like these are frequent and/or bothersome, you should consider professional counseling to address them. These really aren't normal worries. I suggest all this from compassion, not criticism.

The same comment applies to handling objects with blood on them, even if the blood contains HIV; shaking hands or other non-intimate contacts with HIV infected person, etc. The same applies to the hepatitis B and C viruses (HHBC, HCV). As for "flicking a drop of blood into my eye", nobody in the world has ever been known to be infected by such an event. There is no risk to you and therefore no risk to your wife. Please consider following my advice about possible underlying psychological issues and the possible value of professional counseling.

I hope these comments are helpful. Best wishes.

HHH, MD

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