Accidental prick

[Prajeesh]

I work at a pharmacy. 2 months ago I accidently got pricked with a patients used needle used for injecting insulin. A month later I had fever for 3 days with severe chills and after fever subsidised had severe pain in ankle , elbow and knee joint which subsidised after a week. The test report during fever came negative twice for malaria. Blood profile had 85% neutrophills , urine culture came negative and pus cells 3to4 were present in urine. Should I get tested for hiv

[HowardH]

Any standard HIV antibody test, or the duo test (antibody + antigen) would be fine.

[Prajeesh]

Thank u for replying. I am not involved sexually. Which test should I be taking?

[HowardH]

The chance of HIV in this situation is incredibly low:  it is probably unlikely the patient had HIV, the amount of blood contamination would be very low in the small gauge needles used for insulin, and likely any blood on the needle would have dried, which means no risk for HIV. As for your symptoms, they are not at all typical for a new HIV infection. But since you're worried, you probably should have an HIV test. Most people with questions like yours are not going to be completely reassured by this sort of advice, but only by a negative test proving they aren't infected.

Aside from HIV, are you sexually active and maybe at risk for STDs? Your symptoms and lab results are consistent with chlamydia or gonorrhea, possibly complicated by reactive arthritis (chlamydia) or disseminated gonococcal infection (if you have gonorrhea). Discuss these possibilities with your doctor.