HIV related Doubt

Hello Doctor,

This is probably going to sound silly but I am going to ask this anyway. About a month ago I was using the restroom in my office building to take a ****. After finishing as I was using the toilet paper I noticed bright red pen tip size dots (two dots joined together) on the toilet sheet before I used the toilet paper. I had a hangnail cut on right fore finger (towards to left side on the nail) but at the time it didn't occur to me that it could be a small amount of blood from my forefinger. I thought that maybe someone had left some blood on the toilet paper and rolled it back (I know this is weird). I must have torn 3 to 5 sheets of toilet paper to wipe myself and I noticed another red or brownish spot (not dots) on the one of the toilet tissue sheets again

Now here is my problem

I seem to be obsessing about the a scenario where I am thinking that I might have touched fresh blood from somewhere (say the toilet seat or some place else which later on got to the toilet paper as I tried using the toilet paper) and what if this blood (from where ever it was ) was HIV+ and I unknowingly touched the blood to my hangnail cut on the forefinger ?

I know that regardless of freshness of HIV+ blood, if it's on an inanimated object like toilet seat doorknobs, keys, steering wheel etc, it can't be infectious. Dr. Hook confirmed this on another post

I also know that hang nail cuts are superficial and HIV needs the blood stream to infect someone. I don't think it was paining as much or paining at all

Knowing my scenario is their any risk of transmission.

I am still not convinced that the dots and spot on the toilet paper were my blood or some sort of marks on the toilet paper (a lot of times toilet papers are not completely white. They have a small dots / spots/  marks on them) or someone else's blood that got through my other fingers (that were not bleeding) as I tore off the toilet paper sheets to wipe myself

Please advice.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our forum.  I agree with the assessments you have already received on the HIV community site- this was a no risk event.   As you note, the virus was most likely yours and even if it was not, the chance that the person had HIV is miniscule.  Even if that unlikely circumstance was the case, there is still no risk.  If there were HIV contain blood on the toilet paper, the virus would have died rapidly on exposure to the environment in the interval between the time that the blood got onto the toilet paper and when you used the bathroom. Furthermore, viruses such as HIV "stick" to cloth and paper so even if there were HIV there and even if the HIV was potentially infectious, the virus would not have been to transferred to you.

there has never been a case of HIV transmitted to another person in the manner you are suggestion. there is no reason to worry and no reason for testing.

I hope this comment is helpful to you.  EWH

[AD1358]

As you note, the virus was most likely yours and even if it was not, the chance that the person had HIV is miniscule.

did you mean

As you note, the blood was most likely yours and even if it was not, the chance that the person had HIV is miniscule.

You seem to be taking the case to Blood getting onto the toilet paper and HIV dying there. What if I had touched blood of a inanimated object like toilet seat or something non cloth or non paper and accidently touched my hangnail ? I am not bothered about using toilet with blood on it to wipe myself as I didn't use those sheets with the suspisious red dots/spots

[AD1358]

I am assuming that this would be a case of transfer from an inanimated object so this should be no risk too ?

[AD1358]

With reference to my second post...I assume that this would be a case of transfer via an inanimated object so this would a case of no risk too ?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Correct, still no risk of transfer from an inanaimate object.  EWH

[AD1358]

So hiv blood on an inanimated object cannot infect regardless of coming in contact with hangnail cuts.And it doesn't matter weather the hangnail cut was bleeding or not. This will be my last post to you doctor. No more bugging

[AD1358]

Again doctor, with regards to my last post I am assuming no risk

[AD1358]

Doctor,

Can you please comment ?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are repeating yourself, not to mention being inpatient- we do not man the site 24/7.  I would think the repeated statement "no risk" would be interpreted as just that.  Einstein said "one definition of insanity is to ask the same question again and again and expect different answers."

I realize you are nervous but no risk will still mean no risk no matter how many times you ask it.  EWH

[AD1358]

Thank you doctor. God bless you. I am relieved

[AD1358]

Dr. Hook,

Once again. Thank you for your input. I reside in Edmonton AB. Despite your advice I decided to go for testing as I was feeling very anxious. I tested at the 6 week mark and at 8 weeks and 6 days mark. Both results were negative.

Also at around the 2 week (15th or 16th day) mark I had taken an HIV test for a hair transplant surgery scheduled in May 2013

On the 8th week and 6 day report the name of the test was as follows

" Anti- Hiv 1&2 (Recombinant Antigens) "

I had not asked for the report for the first two tests but I am told that it would have been the same tests

I had called up the provincial Lab and they told me that they use 4th generation testing (perhaps that is why they have mentioned antigents).

Given the name of the test can you confirm if the results can be considered conclusive ?

Regards

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Last answer.  Your results will be the same as the results you already have, showing that you did not get HIV.  Your prior results were conclusive.  These will not change.  You did not get HIV

End of thread.  EWH