cut on sensitive skin and pin

[doha1111]

Hello Doctor,

What happens when a person gets pricked by nail or pin or maybe scratched by the edge of table?

last week I got pricked by a pin which we use in the office and customer was playing with the same pins 2 minutes before  and what if same pin pricked him and he is HIV + ?

One more question if there is  blood on tip of a pin (u know it cannot be more than 1 or 2 ml) how long it will stay alive with the virus?

and one more if mosquito bite is not a risk of hiv then why pin prick is a risk?

as blood is around the mosquito's containimated mouth parts and same way blood is around the tip of a pin and almost same quantity 1 to 2 ml i guess.

I'm asking because I heard some horrible stories where people got infected with HIV from a prick :(

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. Your questions suggest that you have a misunderstanding of how HIV is transmitted.  HIV is transmitted from adult to adult ONLY through unprotected penetrative sexual contact or through injection of infected material DEEP into tissue.  It is not transmitted by mosquitoes, from inanimate objects such as table tops (even if there is blood on the table tops, or by scratches as none of these activities result in injection of tissue deep into tissue.

Further, a prick or scratch with a pin is very, unlikely to transmit HIV because the surface of a solid pin does not carry blood the way that a hollow needle does (being in the hollow needle makes it easier for blood to be present and the virus to survive inside of the hollow portion of the needle). Furthermore, the virus begins to die almost immediately upon leaving the body and on contact with the air.

the situations that you describe have no risk for HIV.  You should not worry about them and do not need testing.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This will be the last answer to your repetitive questions.  Any further questions will be deleted without comment.

Any time blood could be transferred from one person to another, in a needle, in a pin, or in a mosquito there is a theoretical possibility that infection could occur.  Some methods are more effective for transferring blood than others- more blood is transferred in a hollow needle than on a solid pin for instance.  Thus while there is a theoretical possibility that HIV could be transferred on a head of a pin, just as there is a theoretical possibility that you could be struck by lightning while you are reading this.  Both possibilities are so small however as to not be a realistic concern.  Thus, while there is a theoretical possibility that HIV could be transmitted on a pin, the mathematical probability of this happening is so small in the situation you described to not be a realistic possibility- hence no risk.

Again, further questions will be deleted without comment.   EWH

[doha1111]

please explain your answer no 2  and no 3 as they contradict each other


2) and will you consider that in 2 minutes blood on tip of a pin will become inactive for virus to transmit?
This was a no risk situation.  The virus starts to ie immediately after leaving the bo

3) is there any difference between pin prick and mosquito bit for hiv transmission?
HIV is not spread by mosquitos.  There is a theoretical, tiny risk of HIV with an immediate pin prick.


Your answer number  2 says no risk from pin prick as  virus starts to die immediately after leaving the body and answer number 3 says there is a theoretical risk from pin prick?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are not paying attention.  The answers to your questions were in my answer, along with an explanation.  I will now be more direct

1) my situation is no risk even if my customer who got pricked 2 minutes before i got pricked with the pin is hiv positive?
This was a no risk event.

2) and will you consider that in 2 minutes blood on tip of a pin will become inactive for virus to transmit?
This was a no risk situation.  The virus starts to ie immediately after leaving the boy.

3) is there any difference between pin prick and mosquito bit for hiv transmission?
HIV is not spread by mosquitos.  There is a theoretical, tiny risk of HIV with an immediate pin prick.

4) also i hear horrible story that u can be hiv negative and still get aids is it true?
This is nonsense.

Having now answered your questions twice, I will not repeat myself again.  EWH

[doha1111]

thanks but please answer my question doctor:


1) my situation is no risk even if my customer who got pricked 2 minutes before i got pricked with the pin is hiv positive?

2) and will you consider that in 2 minutes blood on tip of a pin will become inactive for virus to transmit?

3) is there any difference between pin prick and mosquito bit for hiv transmission?

4) also i hear horrible story that u can be hiv negative and still get aids is it true?