concerned about HIV risk

[seekhope]

Dear doctor,

Last month,  I went to a hospital. When I in the entrance, I was stepping on a nail. I was worrid about that. If someone before me stepping on it , then I did, was there a risk. Now I concerned too much about Hiv. There are lots of different informations in the internet about it. Some said it will lose infectious once the body fluid come out of the humandy and exposed to the air. Some said the vire could survive more than 30 minutes, some said two hours.

Now the worries about HIV are all in my mind. I have some questions.
1. How long can the virus maintain infection after the body fluid come out of the humanbody?
2.  If some wound on my hand and my body, then I touched some body fluid (including blood)  in the enviroment, Is there any risk? Or If my skin touch other body's wound, but not bleeding.
3. If I am hurted or scrateched by some sharp objects in the enviroment,  and there is some body fluid on it, Is there a risk.
4. If some blood on the food, then I ate it, is there any risk? Such as there is a wound on a servicer 's hand, she touched the food, and left some blood on it.
5. exclude the unprotect sex, share drug instrument, and monther to child,medical occupational exposure, is there any other way HIV trancmitted? If I want to prevent to get HIV, What can i do? and what shall i concern?

I am sorried for my lots of queston.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Question 4.  mouth ulcers make no difference.

Question 5.  Silly question.  Surgical insturments are carefully cleaned to prevent transfer of infection and as explained above, most environement exposures are no risk.  I will not answer further, "what if" questions.

You analysis is correct.

It is time for this thread to end.  No further questions please.  EWH

[seekhope]

Dear Doctor,

Thank you very much for your answer. It make great help to me.
For question 4, If there are some ulcers in my mouth, is still no risk?

question 5, I won't make unprotective sex. But Don't be exposed to contminated instruments, Is the instruments including the sharp objects  contaminated by blood in the enviroment? Or just in the medical situation,Such as in the surgery?  

According to your answer, I know the virus is very fragile. So in this situation, there is no risk. I touch some body fluid in the toilt, then I  wipe my anus, touch it. there is no risk. Is my analysis correct?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  Your questions suggest that you have a misunderstanding about how HIV is transmitted.  HIV is transmitted in adults ONLY through penetrative genital or ano-genital sexual contact or through injection of infected materials deep into tissue.  It is not transmitted by touching, transfer on hands, ingestion of contaminated food or drink or other casual contact.  The exposure you describe did not put you at meaningful risk for HIV.  A puncture would due to a solid object such as a nail, even if it had previously punctured another person with HIV does not put you at risk for HIV.  HIV begins to die, and therefore become non-infectious almost immediately following exit from the body and exposure to the environment.  

In answer to your specific questions:
1. How long can the virus maintain infection after the body fluid come out of the humanbody?

See above, it becomes non-infectious very quickly.  While how quickly depends on many variables like moisture, temperature and drying, in all persons the virus becomes non-infectious very, very quickly after leaving the body.  

2.  If some wound on my hand and my body, then I touched some body fluid (including blood)  in the enviroment, Is there any risk? Or If my skin touch other body's wound, but not bleeding.

See above. This is a no risk event.

3. If I am hurted or scrateched by some sharp objects in the enviroment,  and there is some body fluid on it, Is there a risk.

No.

4. If some blood on the food, then I ate it, is there any risk? Such as there is a wound on a servicer 's hand, she touched the food, and left some blood on it.
No.

5. exclude the unprotect sex, share drug instrument, and monther to child,medical occupational exposure, is there any other way HIV trancmitted? If I want to prevent to get HIV, What can i do? and what shall i concern?

Those are the ways HIV is transmitted.  Practice safe sex and do not be exposed to contaminated needles or instruments and you will be fine.  EWH