Scratched by patient. HIV risk?

[bdaniels]

Hello to all the helpful people that will read this and take the time to answer.

I am a student therapist who is currently on clinical placements/rotations in the UK.

Context: Due to the nature of the job role, a lot of my patients have psychological/neurological disorders.

Query: Yesterday when I was carrying out an observation of an autistic patient, the patient suddenly scratched me extremely hard on my forehead and I bled slightly. Upon bringing this to the supervisor's attention, I was told that the patient had just scratched two people minutes before I arrived as well. Her hands had not been cleaned after as they spent time cleaning the other people's wounds. The patient who scratched me also went on to scratch another patient during the observation ended which resulted in her being restrained and separated from the group.

I am very worried about possible blood borne exposure to HIV or HCV as a result. I do not know the status of the patient or the other people she has scratched moments before she dug her nails into my skin and comprimised the integrity. It sounds very likely that she had fresh blood under her fingernails.

Update: The following day I can feel big and painful "shotty" lymph nodes on the right side of my neck and now I am increasingly more worried.

Question: What are the chances I've acquired a blood-borne disease this way?
I only ask because it would be useful to have some insight while waiting for the window period to be over before going to do a blood test.

PS: I should also add that I used to suffer from anxiety and this situation is definitely triggering it again as I am so worried.


Thanks in advance.
Extremely worried student

[Sara_MHModerator]

As stated patiently and clearly, you did not risk HIV from the exposure you write of.  There is nothing to add to that. If you did risk HIV from your activity, any test you take is conclusively negative and was unnecessary to take.   We wish you the best and are closing this discussion.

***  thread closed ***

[bdaniels]

Can anyone please answer?

The exposure this time is different and a lot more dangerous and risky.

This time it was known that she had blood in her fingernails right before scratching me.

Please someone advise me, my anxiety is sky high right now as are my suicidal thoughts at the thought of contracting a horrible disease.

For anyone that can properly explain the risk or non-risk, please help. At this rate I'd even pay for some sound advice.

Thanks.

[CurfewX]

No, it isn't.  It isn't risky or dangerous at all.  NO ONE has ever contracted HIV like this, and you won't be the first.  

Acquiring HIV requires a high-volume exchange of bloods into deep wounds.  A scratch - even a deep one - does not qualify and blood under nails is not infectious.  It loses its ability to infect after leaving the body.

Do not have unprotected, penetrative sex with someone of unknown status, and do not share IV needles with others, and you will never have to worry about HIV.  Even in health care settings, only a handful of people have ever been infected, and those situations were extreme.  

Last of all, you need to get your anxiety under control via therapy, meds, or a combo.  It's going to eat you up and ruin your life, not to mention your job if you continue to fear these non-risk situations and let them send you into panic.

[bdaniels]

Ok thank you for responding. You've helped to alleviate my fears. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me.

I just can't seem to get past why my glands swelled up the very next day from the encounter? And the fact that the girl already had what appeared to be other people's blood on her nails before scratching me. I was always taught that broken skin can be a route of transmission.

I'm just trying to enter a profession that helps others and makes a difference. But I do not want to sacrifice my health in the process.

You've put me at ease but I still find the whole encounter quite settling and I wish the wait for a blood test wasn't so long.

Is 3 months after potential exposure definitely conclusive? Or should I wait 6 months instead?

Thanks a lot once again :)

[bdaniels]

Hello and thanks for replying.

I would not have raised a query like this again but this is a different situation (deep scratch from dirty nails) and this time there are more notable symptoms (numerous, painful swollen lymph nodes).

The "18 posts" are replies to messages and not separate posted queries.


I would just like to know what are the risks of a person with blood under their fingernails intensely scratching another's skin and breaking the skin. Their status is unknown.

Thanks

[AnxiousNoMore]

No, there are queries and in fact \this is identical to the bag lady scratch query.
The science has not changed since then.

[bdaniels]

It's not quite identical..

The "bag lady" situation did not involve the person previously scratching other people and having blood in their fingernails immediately prior to scratching me

In that situation I did not have swollen lymph nodes 24 hours after the encounter.

It sounds as if you're almost accusing me of making this up. I would not post another query unless I was worried about a potential exposure unless it really felt as though I am at risk; which it does in this situation.

All I wanted is an answer to this specific question, instead of a generalised response to a different situation that happened a couple of years ago.

I honestly do not feel like that is a lot to ask for, and if you cannot help me that is fine, maybe someone else can.

So you're right, science hasn't changed since then, but the situation has

Thanks

[AnxiousNoMore]

You have 18 HIV posts so have probably been advised  by now that this is no risk. Surely your workplace has advised you of this too.
Likely you have an HIV phobia, in which case therapy might be helpful.