The answers to your 3 questions are 1) No, 2) No, and 3) Yes but it doesn't matter. You cannot catch HIV by the non-exposure event you describe. Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of HIV. See a health care provider, however, if you remain concerned.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Sorry Dr.,
Just unclear about your answers to 2. and 3. For 2. you say no, meaning that any possible HIV virus would not be dead because it had been dried out for months. I thought it died once dried? And for 3. you answer yes. Is this yes to the disinfectant killing the virus or yes to it possibly remoistening and reactivating it?
Thank you doctor, I will not be posting any more after this, just wanted you to clear up these 2 issues. Thank you so much.
The additional information does not change my opinion or advice. hellothere123 is corret. No "yes but" or "what if" follow-up questions, please. There simply is no HIV risk here.
OK, I give up. What did you misunderstand about "No 'yes but' or 'what if' follow-up questions, please. There simply is no HIV risk here."???
If the substance was blood, if the person who bled had HIV, and if you had sucked on the stain, you wouldn't have been infected.
This thread is over.
HHH, MD
Sorry again Dr., I'm new to this and with my nerves forgot to also mention that occasionally I have been getting slight diarrhea, not excessive, persistent or uncontrollable, and tends to be when i worry about my health.
Thank you Dr., I really hope I havent jeopardised the chance of you answering because I forgot a couple of things.
Sorry Dr., I forgot to mention that the disinfectant wipe moistened the substance, and also that my throat has been dry as well as feeling slightly congested and tight.
Thank you so much Dr. HHH, and I apologise again if I am wasting your time.
I usually don't respond to people on this forum, but yours is so easy that I just will. If the Doctor responds, he will tell you that this is why you don't have HIV:
- you don't even know if what you saw was blood
- even if it was blood, it was probably your blood
- even if it wasnt your blood, the chances are still extremely low that it was HIV infected blood
- even if it was HIV infected blood, the virus still would have been long, long dead. a dried HIV virus cannot survive for more than a few minutes. in a few months, it would have been deader than dead. and when a virus is dead, its dead. kind of like with people. you cannot bring a virus back to life any more than u can bring a person back to life.
- even if it wasnt dead (it was DEFINITELY dead) HIV cannot penetrate through a small cut in the finger. it can only penetrate a fresh, bleeding wound.
- given that you could not have possibly contracted HIV, any symptoms you have are obviously meaningless, but none of your symptoms sound at all like ARS anyway. all of your symptoms sound exactly like anxiety.
please dont waste any more time worrying about this. there is no chance in hell you got HIV from the exposure you describe. absolutely none. so go and enjoy your life - good luck!