Risk of my Exposure

Hi,

A few days back, I was having food from a road side eatery. After having the food, I heard the vendor discuss with his friend that say around 3-4 hours back in the evening, the vendor had scraped his hand on ground ice. (that was his right hand). He did not use any sort of bandaid or etc on his scrape and was complaining that coming in contact with the food materials, his hand stung.

Now I had heard all this whilst I was trying to pay my bill. I am worried that if his skin graze(which seems to relatively raw) was bleeding/not bleeding, is it possible for me to contract HIV or any Blood bourne viruses.

I donot have bleeding gums, but I do have a root canal treatment done at my fronth teeth.
I have tested for HIV as part of routine travel checks a couple of months back and it is negative.

a)Should I consider my self at risk? [or is it just paranoia born out of ignorance].
b)Does it need, a fresh cut in the mouth to transfer HIV from blood?

Sorry if my questions seem naive.. just that I am worried with no where finding conclusive answers.

Regards
Sush.

[Teak]

You were never at risk. , HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host (unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable conditions), except under laboratory conditions, therefore, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.

[eagleyes]

Hi Sushil,

HIV is a very fragile virus and any change in temperature or humidity will quickly render it unable to infect.

Secondly, even in case of a cut, the body quickly starts the formation of new cells to replace the grazed / scraped skin.

Thirdly, even if some HIV virus did come in contact with the ice (not possible, just for hypothesis in this case), the temperature difference would kill it.

Fourth, if (hypothesis, again) some virus did enter your mouth, it would not be in sufficient quantity, your saliva would kill it and finally your stomach acid would be more than happy to digest it.

This is exactly why environmental transmission of HIV is impossible. However, if you are in India (as your nick suggests) I would be more concerned about Typhoid, Gastro or Hepatitis from roadside vendor ice. Take care

[sushilB]

Thanks Teak and Eagle Eyes.

to eagle eyes (since he seems to be from india) I was having panipuri from the vendor. And he got the scrape early in the evening (say around 3-4 hours back) from ground ice.

To teak, panipuri is a *** bit served in indian roads, where the vendor mashes up potatoes with spices(salt/chilli powder) and tamarind water and puts that in hollow circular pieces of flour fried earlier. In india, its a very common titbit and honestly speaking, not much hygiene is maintained. (no panipuriwala uses gloves etc and uses his hand by merely washing it with water)

All together I donot know why this sudden thought of hiv came associated to this incident, but yes it has shaken me a lot and probably left one less customer of road side food.

Sincerely hope that I donot contract this deadly virus.

Regards
Sushil

[Teak]

You aren't going to contract it from food.

[sushilB]

Thanks to both of you on your prompt reply.

[eagleyes]

Hi,

Panipuri khake HIV nahi hoga....you won't get HIV by having panipuri, just take care of the hygiene

[sushilB]

Thanks again..