Injury with blood.

Dear doctors,

Last weekend I was helping a friend cut some wood when he gashed his hand on a bit of the wood that was split. He immediately handed me the axe (as my 2 year old daughter was near by) and as he did he poked my finger which had a  semmi healing cut/sore from the dry weather and eczema. I then looked down and noticed that the cut was lifted open and slightly bleeding as was his finger which poked it. It was more like a crack to the skin. Is this a risk? I've been worried sick. We should have worn gloves but stupidly didn't. I've been searching all the forums like crazy but can't be 100% if this was a risk or not. I read on many posts thay you guys say that surface wounds are no risk but i also read on one post that if both wounds are caused the same time there could be a risk? I'm confused. Mine stopped bleeding almost straight away really just re-opended the cut but my friend needed a band aid.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  The issue here is one of theory vs. reality.   The internet is, unfortunately full of mis-information based on one or another person’s theoretical concerns.  For starters a critical variable is whether or not your friend has HIV.  My sense is that you do not know but I suspect the likelihood is quite low.  Few heterosexual men do.

Even if he was, while there is a theoretical but very low probability of leading to HIV transmission, the reality is that such transmissions virtually never occur, even if the exposure does occur in a situation in which someone has HIV.  The risk of such an exposure is too low to even estimate the risk accurately.

My advice, is not to worry about this event.  I see no reason for concern or for testing.  EWH

[david_oif]

thank you Dr. Hook, I think I understand what you are saying but not exactly. Was my wound deep enough for transmission? After he touched it I didn't see his blood around my cut but I have just been freakin out that it may have got in there. Would there have needed to be a lot of his blood to make a difference?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Let me repeat the key part of my answer from above- "The risk of such an exposure is too low to even estimate the risk accurately."  In other words this was a no risk exposure.  The amount of blood would not make a difference.  EWH

[david_oif]

thank you Dr.