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HIV from shared neosporin during acupuncture
I go to an acupuncturist twice a week in Brooklyn, NYC.
During my last session the acupuncturist who took out the needles [without any gloves], noticed a bleed slightly above my pubic bone from one of the needles that she took out after the hour session.
She then handed me a cotton and alcohol to hold down the bleed.
after about 2 minutes of me holding down the bleed; she gave me a tube of neosporin.
I took the neosporin put it on the cotton then rubbed it on the bleed, no bandaid.
Now a few days later there is a quarter size spot thats green and black as if there is an internal bleed.
This made me start freaking out that the neosporin tube that she gave was used multiple times by MANY patients throughout the day and the previous patients could have applied the neosporin tip directly on their wounds and there could have been residual blood on the tip that could have ended up on the cotton and that i rubbed into my open post needle wound. Thinking about how the neosporin tube gets handed to patients then back and reused worries me that i could have gotten HIV through this situation and their cleanliness.
Should I test, is it possible that I could have contracted HIV through this?
During my last session the acupuncturist who took out the needles [without any gloves], noticed a bleed slightly above my pubic bone from one of the needles that she took out after the hour session.
She then handed me a cotton and alcohol to hold down the bleed.
after about 2 minutes of me holding down the bleed; she gave me a tube of neosporin.
I took the neosporin put it on the cotton then rubbed it on the bleed, no bandaid.
Now a few days later there is a quarter size spot thats green and black as if there is an internal bleed.
This made me start freaking out that the neosporin tube that she gave was used multiple times by MANY patients throughout the day and the previous patients could have applied the neosporin tip directly on their wounds and there could have been residual blood on the tip that could have ended up on the cotton and that i rubbed into my open post needle wound. Thinking about how the neosporin tube gets handed to patients then back and reused worries me that i could have gotten HIV through this situation and their cleanliness.
Should I test, is it possible that I could have contracted HIV through this?
Just so that I understand, a bit of someone's residual possibly infected blood from the tube tip rubbed into my 2 min prior removed needle opening on my body cannot transmit the virus, no way, no how is that correct?
Based on what i described(acupuncturist using no gloves when pulling out needles and handing patients the same neosporin tube for reuse) of this otherwise clean acupuncture place, should i have any concern contracting HIV/HEP C from continuing frequent use of this place?
Thank you very much Doctor and best wishes to you.
Based on what i described(acupuncturist using no gloves when pulling out needles and handing patients the same neosporin tube for reuse) of this otherwise clean acupuncture place, should i have any concern contracting HIV/HEP C from continuing frequent use of this place?
Thank you very much Doctor and best wishes to you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
All ointments and creams used for humans -- certainly including neosporin -- contain preservatives that instantaneously kill all viruses, including HIV. It wouldn't matter if the cream had been rubbed into a bleeding wound of a person wtih HIV, and then used on you. There would be no HIV transmission risk. Certainly there is absolutely no risk in the situation you describe, regardless of the bruising that occurred from the acupuncture.
So no worries, no need for testing, and you can safely continue unprotected sex with any regular partner you may have.
I hope this has been helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
All ointments and creams used for humans -- certainly including neosporin -- contain preservatives that instantaneously kill all viruses, including HIV. It wouldn't matter if the cream had been rubbed into a bleeding wound of a person wtih HIV, and then used on you. There would be no HIV transmission risk. Certainly there is absolutely no risk in the situation you describe, regardless of the bruising that occurred from the acupuncture.
So no worries, no need for testing, and you can safely continue unprotected sex with any regular partner you may have.
I hope this has been helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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