[Question #3223] Exposure

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89 months ago
Hello Dr,

Would like get medical opinion please,
We were in a restaurant and while talking to the waiter a droplet of his saliva/ spit hit me in the eye.

Can this be seen as an exposure to hiv, hep b, hep c and herpes 1 & 2?

Do you recommend testing for this event or was there no risk? Info on internet bit sketchy but seems to be very low risk that is why i have left it until now.
This happend more than 72 hours ago.

Thank You.


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89 months ago
Also same applies to droplet of toilet water while flushing any of mentioned diseases a risk?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  We receive many questions of this sort and I suppose that, from a theoretical perspective, it might be conceivable that STIs might be transmitted in this way but as it turns out, there are no cases of STI (including HIV) transmission which have occurred as th M result of saliva getting into a person's eye.  The event you describe was not risk, even in the unlikely event that your waiter had an STI.

Similarly, no one has ever gotten an STI from exposure to toilet water or, for,that matter, toilet seats.

These are no risk events with no reason for concern and no reason for testing.  EWH
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89 months ago
Thank you.  Any reason for concern if the person has gum disease or mouth sores re bleeding gums etc?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
No, none at all.  Even if the persons had gum disease, an open sore in their mouth or gums, or a recent bleeding wound.  Still no known risk.  EWH
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89 months ago
Thank you for your precise and comforting answers! I have some more questions in this regard but will purchase a new thread.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
You are permitted one additional follow-up question.  I would suggest you use it for your additional questions before purchasing another question.  Hopefully the questions will be concise.  EWH
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89 months ago
Thank you Dr, but I have already purchased it and sent it. This thread can be closed.