[Question #9125] potential needle injury and hiv infection?
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36 months ago
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Hi doc,
So i went on a taxi yesterday, and after a minute or two i felt a sudden pain that was quite similar to a needle sting pain on the back of my arm. I then turned and found no bleeding spot or any sort of noticeable dot that could have been caused by a needle. I also did not see any needle on the car while i was there, nor did i find any liquid. My question would be: if there was a needle, could i have been infected? Could I have been hurt and infected without any blood coming out from my arm? I remember when i got injected there was coming out, but i am not sure if thats the case in daily scenarios as well. Has there been cases of people being infected through such contact?
Thank you.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment. The event you describe was VERY low risk. You do not know that you were jabbed by a needle (it may have been a spring from the seat or something else) , if it were a needle, you do not know that it had been used by a person with HIV or hepatitis, and it did not draw blood suggesting that it did not penetrate your skin since such an injection would have drawn blood . Needle transmission of HIV required injection of infected material deep into tissue - even with needle sticks with neeedles which had been used previously in an untreated infected person which draw blood, infection is transmitted less than 1% of the time. .
We receive many questions regarding the sort of situation you describe yet I have never seen or heard of a person who was infected in the manner you describe. I would not worry and see no reason for testing.
---I hope these comments are helpful. EWH
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36 months ago
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Hi doc, thanks for responding and explaining.
It was fortunate that i actually did not see any needle or blood coming out from my arm. The only thing i am concern right now is: correct me if i am wrong here, does that mean if i do not see any blood coming out, the "potential needle with transmission risk" would not have had harmed me to an extend to cause me infection? I also did not see any spot or anything that is likely to be caused by a needle, so yeah i doubt if it was just me having a sudden pain. I am just asking so that i could clear my concerns.
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36 months ago
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Also, does that mean "injection" or "penetrating" would be only possible ways of infecting by a needle? So general touching or hurting would not have been enough? I removed my arms almost instantly after the pain, so i assume a "injection" could not have been completed in that one single second?
Thanks again.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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Your follow-up question is repetitive. In the absence of visible blood, no matter what the cause of the stick you experienced, you have nothing to worry about. As I said earlier, ONLY deep, penetrating needle sticks which draw blood would have the potential to transit a blood borne infection. EWH---
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36 months ago
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okay——so just to reconfirm, zero risk of infecting hiv in my case? No pep or testing needed? Thanks again doc.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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As I presume you know, we provide after three responses to each comments question. This will be my final response. The thread will be closed soon after this response.
Regarding your somewhat repetitive follow up, you are correct. The event you describe requires no testing and should not concern you at all. There is absolutely no reason for consideration of PEP.
I hope you will move forward without continuing concern. EWH
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