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Can I breath in HIV through tainted particles?
I was sorting mail and noticed one of the envelopes seemed to have dry blood on an edge that was slightly cut open. Since I have cuts on my fingers, I was concerned and saw that I could test whether something is blood by pouring hydrogen peroxide on it.
I poured some on it and brought the envelope closer to my face to see if it would bubble up. Then, I realized there are loose threads of paper on that spot (where it was cut and where the stain is) and I worried I may breathed some small threads of soiled paper in.
In the event that the blood on the envelope was infected, am I at risk?
I poured some on it and brought the envelope closer to my face to see if it would bubble up. Then, I realized there are loose threads of paper on that spot (where it was cut and where the stain is) and I worried I may breathed some small threads of soiled paper in.
In the event that the blood on the envelope was infected, am I at risk?
Nope, you can not get HIV from an envelope. Air inactivates the virus. The only way that you can get HIV is through sexual activity of unprotected (without condom) vaginal or anal sex or sharing IV drug needles. That's it. So, no risk.
Reread about "straightforward" then answer the question I asked.
2 Comments
Got it. Thanks!
ok good.
Your situation involves personal contact with an object in air (paper, blood etc.). No hiv worries, because you can't get hiv from personal contact except unprotected penetrating vaginal or anal, neither of which you did and you didn't share hollow needles to inject with which is the only other way to acquire hiv. Analysis of large numbers of infected people over the 40 years of hiv history has proven that people don't get hiv in the way you are worried is a risk.
HIV is a fragile virus in air or saliva and is effectively instantly dead in either air or saliva so the worst that could happen is dead virus rubbed you, and obviously anything which is dead cannot live again so you are good. Blood and cuts would not be relevant in your situation since the hiv has become effectively dead, so you don't have to worry about them to be sure that you are safe.
There is no reason for a person to test when they are safe. The advice took into consideration that the other person might be positive, so move on and enjoy life instead of thinking about this non-event. hiv prevention is straightforward since there are only 3 ways you can become infected, so next time you wonder if you had a risk, ask yourself this question. Did I do any of the 3? Then after you say "No, I didn't" then it's time to move on back to your happy life.
HIV is a fragile virus in air or saliva and is effectively instantly dead in either air or saliva so the worst that could happen is dead virus rubbed you, and obviously anything which is dead cannot live again so you are good. Blood and cuts would not be relevant in your situation since the hiv has become effectively dead, so you don't have to worry about them to be sure that you are safe.
There is no reason for a person to test when they are safe. The advice took into consideration that the other person might be positive, so move on and enjoy life instead of thinking about this non-event. hiv prevention is straightforward since there are only 3 ways you can become infected, so next time you wonder if you had a risk, ask yourself this question. Did I do any of the 3? Then after you say "No, I didn't" then it's time to move on back to your happy life.
1 Comments
Thank you so much for your prompt response! My apologies if I’m insistent. My main concern was that I may have breathed in blood stained particles of paper and that they made it to my nasal mucus membrane. I could then assume that it’s a non-risk event regardless?
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