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Human bite from a high risk person
Greetings doctor Handsfield and doctor Hook! Happy New Year!
2 days ago, during the New Year celebration party, I was bitten my friend of mine, who never uses preservatives and had unprotected sex with a lot of woman from high risk group (prostitutes, maybe even IV drug users, but I'm not sure about the latter). He never makes HIV test, because he thinks that all HIV + are covered by bleeding sores and aren't able even to walk, whereas "all his partners looked very healthy". He is stupid, it is obvious; but i couldn't make him change his mind.
About the bite; it is right under the eye, somewhere around the cheekbone. Skin at this place is very thin and that's the thing i'm afraid of. There was no bleeding from the wound he made, but the areas his teeth penetrated have a scrab like after scratching a pimple. His lips were chapped and generally this person has very poor dental hygiene. I'm really scared, because I'm very careful about STDs and especially HIV, I always use condoms and normally don't put myself at risk. But now there is a risk of getting infected and the bitter thing is that it wasn't my fault.
2 days ago, during the New Year celebration party, I was bitten my friend of mine, who never uses preservatives and had unprotected sex with a lot of woman from high risk group (prostitutes, maybe even IV drug users, but I'm not sure about the latter). He never makes HIV test, because he thinks that all HIV + are covered by bleeding sores and aren't able even to walk, whereas "all his partners looked very healthy". He is stupid, it is obvious; but i couldn't make him change his mind.
About the bite; it is right under the eye, somewhere around the cheekbone. Skin at this place is very thin and that's the thing i'm afraid of. There was no bleeding from the wound he made, but the areas his teeth penetrated have a scrab like after scratching a pimple. His lips were chapped and generally this person has very poor dental hygiene. I'm really scared, because I'm very careful about STDs and especially HIV, I always use condoms and normally don't put myself at risk. But now there is a risk of getting infected and the bitter thing is that it wasn't my fault.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There would always be bleeding with broken skin; and absence of blood means the skin was not broken.
I read on CDC's website that the case when skin is not broken is not dangerous from HIV perspective. Can tooth wounds described above be considered as a broken skin? Or broken skin is when there is a bleeding from the wound? Thank you doctor Handsfield.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
Being bitten, or suffering tooth wounds by an HIV infected person (e.g., in a fight), is often listed as a potential risk for HIV transmission. However, to my knowledge there has never been a single documented case in which it actually happened. I doubt you are going to be the first.
Equally important, the chance your friend has HIV is very low. The large majority of people with his lifestyle do not have HIV. If he were a gay man or if he himself were an injection drug user, the odds would be higher -- but even then, most likely he isn't infected. Still, he is obviously wrong in believing he can judge the HIV status of his partners; most people with HIV are outwardly healthy. But even if he has HIV, there is little chance you were infected by the tooth wound you describe.
But since you are in fact worried, why not tell your friend about your concern? If he's really a friend, he will understand andshould agree to be tested to ease your mind. In the meantime, you really shouldn't be concerned. The chance you caught HIV in this manner is too low to measure.
I hope this helps. Best wishes and happy new year-- HHH, MD
Being bitten, or suffering tooth wounds by an HIV infected person (e.g., in a fight), is often listed as a potential risk for HIV transmission. However, to my knowledge there has never been a single documented case in which it actually happened. I doubt you are going to be the first.
Equally important, the chance your friend has HIV is very low. The large majority of people with his lifestyle do not have HIV. If he were a gay man or if he himself were an injection drug user, the odds would be higher -- but even then, most likely he isn't infected. Still, he is obviously wrong in believing he can judge the HIV status of his partners; most people with HIV are outwardly healthy. But even if he has HIV, there is little chance you were infected by the tooth wound you describe.
But since you are in fact worried, why not tell your friend about your concern? If he's really a friend, he will understand andshould agree to be tested to ease your mind. In the meantime, you really shouldn't be concerned. The chance you caught HIV in this manner is too low to measure.
I hope this helps. Best wishes and happy new year-- HHH, MD
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