HIV question

[lily168]

Dear Dr, I am trying to get over unrealistic fears of HIV, I just wanted to clarify some things with you for my understanding. Sorry Doctor for my Qs I am afraid my mind isn't so logical always. I read in many threads that HIV is only passed through unprotected sex or by injection. I had been tested for HIV and STDs before my current r'ship and all negative. I had concerns over having scared kitchens with students in the past who were possibly high risk (gay),if they had a cut with a knife, and then I cut myself with that knife....it seems I shouldn't worry but in this thread Dr Hook said risk is about 1.http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV---Prevention/fresh-blood-on-fresh-cut/show/1664993 Is he referring to having a deep cut with an obviously bloody knife or something like this? I can't remember whether something like this has ever happened to me. My second concern was that some years ago my African friend encouraged some guys from Africa to dance with us (we didn't know them), and I know many African countries are high risk for HIV. They began dancing very close.My memory is not great, but I worry about what if there was a situation where IF i was wearing a dress, and IF they had a hole or something in their trousers/underwear, what if there was some kind of genital contact I was not very aware of and HIV got passed? I have been tested since this event but worried that there are different strains of HIV. My test was with the NHS, my Dr said it was a full HIV test but I read on Freedomhealth website that it would cover 'most subtypes.' I guess this refers to something that would be incredibly rare (even for Africa)? I have started to become worried about leaving blood any place,like if I left a bit of blood on the toilet,and the toilet seat lid prevented the blood from drying,and someone after me contacts it and gets HIV.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This will complete this thread.  The Dr. on the Freedom Health site made a correct statement in the sense that in science one can never say never or always because science is continuously discovering new things,  That said, there is no realistic reason for you or for anyone else to worry about current HIV tests missing strains or failing to detect infection.

Take care.  EWH

[lily168]

Many thanks Dr, your answer has reassured me.
I am not sure why the Dr on the Freedomhealth website said the NHS test would cover MOST subtypes - I guess maybe this is maybe just a legal thing? Although I saw in another place the Dr there said you needed a Western blot test to check for certain strains - perhaps this was a few years ago however, I'm not sure.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help.  My sense is that you are overly fearful of HIV. the infection is simply not transmitted by casual contact and truly requires (as you have read me say before) ONLY through direct genital or ano-genital sexual intercourse or through introduction on infected material DEEP into tissue (like by injection).  Superficial contact with infected secretions, blood or other material does not lead to HIV transmission.  The infection is not acquired from contact with inanimate objects, including toilet seats, even if there were infectious blood on them).

In answer to your specific points:
1. Infection due to cutting yourself with a knife that someone else with HIV had cut themselves with just before is not a plausible occurrence. The knife would need to be literally cover with blood form a cut which had happened immediately before.

2.  There is no way that you would get HIV from very close dancing with someone who was HIV infected.  The idea that somehow one of your dance partners' could have his genitals "slip" out of his clothing and contact your genitals to lead to infection is just not a realistic possibility either.

3.  Current tests for HIV simply do not miss HIV sub-types or the sorts of "rare strains" that are the subject of internet mythology.  

My sincere advice is for you not to worry at all about any of the scenarios you have described.  You do not need further testing and nothing you have mentioned raises any concerns.  I hope my comments are helpful.  EWH