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STDs  (Expert Forum)
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Scratch possibility of HIV
Answered by
H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. -
University of Washington Seattle - WA
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IMPORTANT

This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum

Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
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MedHelp Member's Question

Scratch possibility of HIV

by toddbenny, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
I know that I have asked some odd HIv questions, but I'm worried I could have gotten HIV from scratching someone.

I was at a local minimart last night. When I reached to grab my change, I accidentially scratched the lady behind the counter. It appeared that I could have caused a cut on her hand.

Ever since then I have been looking under my finger nail to see if I had an open wound and see if her blood could have gotten under my fingernail and into my system. I don't bite my nails and i don't think I would have a cut under my fingernail, but I am still concerned. (my fingernails were very long at the time. If I scratch someone else am I at risk of getting hiv? Sorry to bother you again, with these odd questions.
Doctor's Answer

by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
No, you can't get HIV that way.



HHH, MD
Member Comments (20)

by Imdumb, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
To: Toddbenny
WOW!! Your fear of HIV is really getting out of hand.  My advice to you would be a mental health professional, not an AIDS/STD professional.  I think you know the answer to your question.  HIV is not spread by scratching people.  It is spread by UNPROTECTED anal and vaginal sex.  It is possible, but very rare to get it from giving unprotected oral sex to men.  It is unheard of to get it by RECEIVING unprotected oral sex (male or female) and it is unheard of to get it from giving cunninglus.  It can be transmitted by sharing needled for IV drug use and in the old days before good testing, by reciving blood products and organs.  There are some occupational risks (needle stick, etc.) BUT THAT IT IT!  You don't get it from protetced sex of any kind, handjobs, having your butt fingered or licked, most oral sex, massages, someome spitting on you, someone  sweating on you, kissing, sharing eating utensils, scratching or getting scrtached by someone, mosquitos, someone peeing on you...etc. etc.  There is so much info on 3 sites that spell it out in detail.  Here, aidsmeds.com and thebody.com.  Do not go to any other websites.  Just those.  Do not try to match symptoms to HIV.  If you ACTUALLY HAD A RISK, get tested at 6 and 12 weeks and be done with it.  If you didn't have a risk, don't try to convince youself that the facts are wrong or that you will be the first person in human history to get HIV from mutual masturbation.

by JohnnyV, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
To: ToddBenny
I'm glad that Imdumb gave you the reality check. I was trying to find a nice way to put it, but he said everything that needs to be said. It will be hard to function in life if you perceive dangers everywhere, and if it isn't HIV it will be something else. See a psychologist. I hope you find some peace of mind.



J

by toddbenny, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
To: Doctor/everyone
Doc,

I'm fearful that I could have scratched the girl to the point were I made her bleed. It was on accident. Am I still at no risk? I immediatly ran home and washed my hands, and looked under my fingernail. Last question regarding this issues.

by ryn21, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
Still no risk.  I cant believe one would even worry about such an episode being a risk at all.  Just relax, have a drink, and dont even worry about it.



Also, consider using some nail clippers and trim those things down a bit.  Cutting or scratching someone simply by getting money from another persons hand is rediculous.

by Imdumb, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
To: toddbenny
The only risk is that her scratch gets an infection from you fingernail bacteria and next time you see her she beats your *** because you scratched her. Now stop this Toddbenny. Have a beer and enjoy the rest of the evening.

by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
ryn21 is right; it's a ridculous thing to worry about.  And imdumb is right; and infection risk is to the scratchee, not the scratcher.  If that kind of exposure led to HIV (or hepatitis or other blood borne infections), we all would have been infected long ago.  No sex, no shared needles, no tranfusion or transplantation of infected blood or organs-->no HIV risk.  Period.



HHH, MD

by JohnnyV, Sep 21, 2005 12:00AM
To: ToddBenny
Hi,



If you feel silly about this episode, don't feel so bad. You can scroll down and find a post from someone who thought he could get HIV from snorting coke next to a black man.



J

by Christie2004, Sep 22, 2005 12:00AM
It amazes me the fear of contracting HIV via innocuous exposures (that really aren't even exposures) that are posted here.



Why aren't people afraid of dying in automobile accidents?  Your chance of being killed while operating a motor vehicle are VASTLY higher than contracting HIV.  Thousands of people are seriously injuured or die every day that way.  Yet often people don't even bother to put on a seat belt.  



Smoking.  Drinking.  Both carry a good probability of causing illness or death, yet are done everyday.  



Maybe it's the sexual aspect of the whole thing, the guilt or something.  When fear of contracting HIV comes so far as to make someone rush home and wash and inspect their hands after an innocent exchange like ToddBenny described, it has crossed the line into obsessive compulsive disorder, probably.

by JohnnyV, Sep 22, 2005 12:00AM
Christie,



Here's what I've been thinking but didn't want to say out loud: people are so scared of HIV because they are scared of the type of people associated with HIV. That's my gut instinct. People who live "respectable" lives fear that HIV will not only harm them physically (which of course it will), but will make them the object of scorn. And that often has to do with what people themselves feel about gays, minorities, promiscuous people, sex workers, drug addicts -- the list of people stigmatized already, and further stigmatized by the disease.



A lot of people would feel less anxiety about HIV if they stepped back and examined their own latent prejudices.



J

by JohnnyV, Sep 22, 2005 12:00AM
To: edc
Hi,



You asked me something on another thread but I did not want to answer there, since Undergoingpuertorican didn't want more comments in his thread.



Unless your risk was exceptionally certain (i.e., a known HIV+ man ejaculated inside you), I think 80 days is enough. It's technically in the 12th week, counting the first week after infection as the 1st week.



J