[Question #6374] Final Questions
14 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
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Welcome back to the Forum. On this occasion I happened to pick up your most recent questions and will be providing replies. FYI, I have reviewed your earlier interaction with Dr. Handsfield and agree with all that he said. Fort that reason it saddens me that you have returned with this somewhat repetitive question. Your fear of HIV is really over the top and I totally support your decision to seek professional help in addressing why you have these unrealistic concerns.
1. No, wound to wound contact does not lead to HIV infection. The infection is not spread through contact with inadvertent contact with open wounds although obviously it is appropriate and reasonable to avoid such contact.
2. This is a common misconception. HIV becomes non-infectious (which typically occurs before it completely dies) almost immediately upon exposure to the environment. This is at least part of the reason that the infection is NOT transmitted through contact with inanimate objects of the sort you mention. No risk!
3. An hour or two is probably too long- in most situations the viruses viability outside the body is measured in minutes. Also, as mentioned above, even before it actually dies, the virus becomes non-infectious.
4. Needles transmit HIV more efficiently because the hollow part of the needle can fill with blood, increasing the amount of blood transferred, as well as slowing the environmental exposure. In contrast, staples and sharp, solid objects are not hollow and therefore are far, far less likely to transmit infection. I certainly would not worry at all about the sort of injury you describe.
5. Correct. HIV is transmitted ONLY through unprotected, direct, penetrative sexual exposure and injection of infected material DEEP into tissue.
6. Yes.
Finally, I must warn you. The purpose of our site is to provide scientifically based information on risks and management of STIs, including HIV. In addition, we encourage clients to review other threads on the site where many similar questions may be found. We reserve the right to delete repetitive, anxiety-driven questions without a response and without return of the posting fee. Please be warned.
Take care. Please don't worry. EWH
14 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
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14 months ago
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14 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
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You are continuing to ask repetitive, anxiety driven questions. Asking variants of questions you have asked will not change the answers. As you know, we provide up to three responses to each clients questions and therefore this thread will be closed shortly without further responses. New questions along the lines of those asked in this thread may be closed without a response and without return of your posting fee. You mentioned earlier that you planned to seek professional counseling to address what you appreciate as illogical concerns. I encourage you to do so and to do so sooner than later. You may wish to print this and your earlier interaction with Dr. Handsfield to demonstrate the issues.
On to your final responses:
1. No, HIV would not survive in closed packaging or products of the sort you describe. No one have EVER been infected through infection from something purchased in a closed product package.
2. As I indicated above- there is no risk for acquisition of HIV from the fork interaction you described.
3. Zero risk.
4. 10
5. Absolutely not. PrEP is no substitute for addressing the underlying problems, your unwarranted anxieties
6. No risk from blood exposure resulting from killing mosquitoes.
This completes this thread. Please seek professional counseling. EWH