HIV from a scratch at the store

[aks123]

I an ocd patient and for some reason this weekend I have a lot of difficult emotional issues rising. I then got stuck in a thought that “seems” serious. I need to solve it by hearing from you doctors, but I know I need to seek mental help. I will, this week. However I’m afraid I cannot make it until then with this kind of burden right now. That's also the reason I am taking my own question, after reading many.

A year ago I went to Madrid with my wife and we were in this popular shop where lots of people go. It is also popular among gay people, too. I don’t mean to be prejudiced but I preferred to say it.

I picked a pair of pants and other clothes and went to the trying room. I did not try the pants, I left them there, folded over a seat inside the dressing room. I went to see more clothes for about 5 min. and went back to the same dressing room. The pants were over the seat, still. I assume nobody tried them before I came back there, because they seemed exactly as I left it. Of course, I cannot be 100% sure.

I then tried them on. The safety label (those magnets made of two parts) got loose (maybe they have been badly put together before). When the label got loose, the pin from it (this large thick pin that is used to hold the label parts together) scratched my outer thigh, like 10cm scratch. It got a line of small blood drops on it.

I would assume, also, that if someone broke the label like me and got scratched, they would not put it together and back on the clothes. But that is also assuming.

I am DESPERATE. I fear for my wife. Please help. Is there a risk in this situation? More importantly: Do I need testing?

I tested last year and I get overly anxious.


AK

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I do not have OCD so I cannot imagine what it is like to go through life worrying about these sorts of things.  I hope my brief answer will be helpful.  The event you describe, which is similar to other questions we get on this Forum once or twice a week carries no risk at all for HIV.  None!

The odds that someone with HIV had stuck or scratched themselves with the same pin are incredibly low and even if this had happened, HIV would have become non-infectious by the time you had started to put on the pants.  his was a no risk event.  

Despite the fact that cuts, scrapes and pin prick type injuries are a part of everyday life for just about everyone, there has never been a case of HIV which has been documented to have been transmitted in the way you suggest.  If it had occurred, we would know it.

There is no reason for concern related to the event you describe, there is no reason for testing an there is no reason to fear for your wife's health because of it.

I hope my comments are helpful. EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your OCD is getting the better of you. Dr. Handsfield's post essentially said there were no meaningful risk and is hard to interpret any other way.  That is the same pessage I gave to you.  These will be my final answers to the NO RISK event you described.

1. Would really the time between someone scratching on the pin, getting dressed back, folding the pants, leaving the dressing room,  and me entering and trying the pants and getting scratched would be enough for the virus to be non-infective? There was no visible blood.

Yes

2. Considering my post, would you still confirm that my case, as you said, is "no risk at all. None!" ? That would be important for me so I can move on with my life.

See above.  No risk.

This will end this thread.  There will be no further answers.  EWH

[aks123]

And a correction, the rates in Spain according to Wikipedia are 0.4%.

[aks123]

A further comment: I took a CRP test because of stomach pains one year after this pin episode and all levels were normal.

[aks123]

Dear Dr. Hook, this is my last comment, and please help me, I have been under very intense stress today when I came across this post by dr. HHH:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV---Prevention/Scratch-by-a-clothing-securing-pin/show/738661

My case is just as I told in the first time, but I got very disturbed with Dr. HHH description and I ask kindly for your patience and for help with this last follow up. I was in Madrid, which the rate of HIV is 1.8 per 100.000 people and in a clothing store that appeals to homossexual public as well.

I have been using your post several times a week to prevent panic attacks, and I have been seeing a behaviour therapist to treat my OCD, as well I am taking 10mg/day of Escitalopram. In a way, I already seeked help, but for some reason this triggered a severe attack.

So in a nutshell:

1. Would really the time between someone scratching on the pin, getting dressed back, folding the pants, leaving the dressing room,  and me entering and trying the pants and getting scratched would be enough for the virus to be non-infective? There was no visible blood.

2. Considering my post, would you still confirm that my case, as you said, is "no risk at all. None!" ? That would be important for me so I can move on with my life.

Thank you again, enormously.

sincerely,
AK

[Edward W Hook, MD]

the answer to this question was provided earlier or, at the very least, strongly implied-


If between the time I left the pants in the dressing room and got back there, someone went through the same I did and got scratch (which is unlikely), would there be a significant risk?
No, no significant risk!  EWH

[aks123]

Hi Dr. Hook,
Thank you so much for your response.

I want to close this ideas, so I would have a simple follow up question.

If between the time I left the pants in the dressing room and got back there, someone went through the same I did and got scratch (which is unlikely), would there be a significant risk?

I would say 2 minutes or so in between, probably more. There was no visible blood in the pin.

I'm sorry for the follow up. I suppose your statement that I should not worry about it is still valid?

Thank you so much for your reply,

AK