[Question #6193] HIV blood draw question

70 months ago

Hi Dr, I went for a blood draw for iron test today and little paranoid about it.

I usually observe what they do whether they are using a new needle how they perform the blood draw and so on. Today during the blood draw she started talking to me and I got distracted and didnt observe whether she used a new needle or not and started thinking about it after I got home. This was at quest diag

Were there any hiv transmission incidents via blood draw. Am I too paranoid, do I even need to think about this incident. How fresh the blood in the needle have to be for the hiv transmission to happen via blood drainage process

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

70 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your confidence in our services. Your question is very similar to one I answered just a few days ago, to which I wrote a reply intended to be useful for future questions. Here it is:

Risk for true blood borne infections, like HIV or hepatitis B or C, used to occur in the past (more than 30 years ago), when some clinics and doctors' offices re-used needles or syringes on more than one patient, without sterilization between uses. Even then, it was very rare anywhere in the US, where single-use disposable equipment has been used routinely in almost all clinics and offices for more than 40 years; and before that, properly sterilized. The equipment used today is designed for single use and cannot be re-used; that is, using them once makes them unusable thereafter. Nobody ever catches HIV or other blood borne infections (or syphilis) because of how the skin is or is not cleared before inserting the needle; and whether or not the blood drawer is infeced, washes her hands, or fails to wear gloves.

In a follow-up question, the other user also mentioned not observing the blood draw. Here is that reply:

You really don't need to see the needle. The nearly universal blood draw system is called Vacutainer® -- you can google it and see photos as well as discussion of the safety system used.

Because needles are never re-used (and cannot be re-used), it doesn't matter how long HIV would survive in blood left in needles. I'll bet nobody in the world has caught HIV from having blood drawn in the past 30 years, at least not in the US or other industrialized countries. And I will add that Quest Laboratories is a sophisticated, highly respected operaton. For sure they would never re-use blood drawing equipment (even if they were physically able to do so). You should have no worries at all and for sure do not need testing for HIV on account of this event.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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70 months ago

Thanks for the response doctor. I think I am just being anxious and paranoid. Hopefully I will get over it.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

70 months ago

Thanks for the thanks. I hope so too!---

70 months ago

Hi Dr, one last question. Can I100% trust that my fear of hiv transmission via blood draw has no real chance of happening and move on with my life. Or is it better to wait 2 weeks and get a RNA test before I resume my normal sexual activities with my partner. Sorry if i made you angry just want to get your opinion before you close the thread.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

70 months ago

We don't ever get angry at questions, just sometimes frustrated when users don't believe or repeatedly question things they have already been told. I see no reason to repeat myslef: there is no possibility you acquired HIV; put whatever percentage over 100% you would like on your certainty. Do not have an RNA test or any other HIV test and continue or immediately resume sex with your partner. Do your best to stop worrying and accept the reasoned, science based reassurance you have had. If you cannot, professional counseling would make sense. Your emotional response and thinking on all this are not normal. I suggest it from compassion, not criticism.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so concludes this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful.

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