Can HIV survive in a Tetanus antoxin vial? I am worried about possibility of cross contamination in the Vial.

Tetanus toxin is listed by the World Health Association as an essential medication and donors are screened for HIV and hepatitis before their immunoglobulins are used for making tetanus antitoxin.  The product is safe.  The vials are larger because the doses of anti-toxin administered vary but it would be most unusual for a vial of antitoxin to be used for more than one patient.  There are strict precautions that health care providers are trained to use to avoid contamination of multiple dose vials including always using a new needle for withdrawing the medication from the vial and, preferably a different needle for administration to the patient.  All of this is designed to prevent contamination of the antitoxin through introduction of extraneous material, including other person's blood, into the vials.  If this were to happen, I suppose that theoretically hepatitis C virus might survive within a contaminated vial.  It is not something I would worry about however.  I am not aware of any instances in which a person has acquired hepatitis or other blood borne infections from contaminated tetanus antitoxin

Yes, the vials are airtight.

I hope this information is helpful.  I would not worry about acquisition of any infection from receipt of tetanus antitoxin.  EWH

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Thanks Dr Hook. Well understood. 

Theoretically, both HIV and hepatitis B and C might survive for an unknown period of time if they had been injected into the vial.  As mentioned, this would be extraordinary to occur.  Personally, it is something I would have no concerns about.  EWH
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Thanks.  That’s settled. 

Part of the reason needles are usually changed between withdrawing something from a vial is to make sure that the needle is a sharp as possible to reduce the trauma/discomfort  of the injection.  No one wants to receive an injection with a dull needle.  Switching needles is the norm.---