[Question #9932] Questions related to babies

27 months ago

Goood afternoon Dr Hook,

Im sorry for disturbing you again in a short time, but I am very worried for my kid, so I just wanna ask the last few questions.

I know that eating, coughing and sneezing are not risks of HIV and STI for any adult, but because that babies can get HIV from prechewed food, and we are now living in the era of many people cough and sneeze in the metro due to covid, I have the following questions:

1. Do coughing and sneezing pose any risks for babies?

2. What if someone sneeze directly into a baby's face and he's got some blood in his saliva and it goes directly into the baby's eyes, nose or mouth?

3. Can you help me explain why?

Thank you very much Dr Hook.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

27 months ago

Welcome back to the forum, although I’m sorry you felt the need. I understand how important our children are to us and that we want to do everything possible to protect them but you are worrying unnecessarily. While newborn children can acquire HIV from breast feeding from an untreated, HIV, infected mother, this risk ends within 6 to 8 months, following birth as the gastrointestinal tract matures. Your one and 1/2 year-old is not at risk for HIV, or any other STI from ingesting contaminated material. On to your specific questions.:

1. While being coughed or sneezed on represents a risk for acquisition of respiratory tract, viruses, no STI, including HIV, is transmitted in this way.

2. No!

3. There are many reasons for this. For instance, the amount of infectious material in coughs or sneezes is relatively low. In addition, saliva and activates many bacteria, and viruses. These many excellent scientific studies have shown that STI‘s and HIV are never spread to anyone through sneezing or coughing..

You are really worrying more than is appropriate. HIV and other STI‘s are spread only through direct, unprotected, sexual contact or injection of infected material deep into tissue.

I hope that my responses will help you to move forward. You need to. EWH.

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27 months ago

Thank you Dr Hook, and Dr Handsfield too.

I indeed have a mental problem called illness anxiety disorder and currently is under mental treatment. I don't really believe in anyone else except you 2 here. I just wanna have the last questions that does bleeding gum pose a risk of HIV for any adult/ baby in eating, playing on the wet ground, any kind of casual contact (except sex)?

This would be my last question. Thank you very much and again, I wish both of you health.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

27 months ago

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I wish you the best as you seek treatment over your anxiety/stress disorder. These problems can be challenging and I encourage you to stick with it.

In response to your final question, bleeding gums, gum, disease, oral sores, and other sites of information within the oral cavity do not increase risk for acquiring HIV. Nor does casual contact of any sort.

HIV is transmitted only through direct to unprotected sexual contact or through injection of infected material deep into tissue. Please don’t worry. EWH.

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27 months ago

Thank you very much Dr Hook for your kind words. Mental disorder is really tired and troublesome. I have my last question before closing the thread is:

Does eating on the same spoon/bowl immediately with an HIV+ person consider a risk for both adult or children? In case of children let's say there is no prechewed food, but maybe a bit of blood.

Thank you very much again Doctor

Edward W. Hook M.D.

27 months ago

Final response. Other than for newborns, there is no known risk for HIV from ingesting food or drink contaminated with HIV, including blood contaminated. The situation you describe is no risk for children and adults.

You are worrying far more than is appropriate. I hope the information I have provided will help you to stop worrying and move forward. EWH

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