Help with understanding

[nefertari79]

Hi Drs, I have read many times on this forum not to be worried about HIV or Hepatitis except from sex or injection by needle. I try to live without HIV fears though some situations come up and I feel they could be risky, so I just wanted to check why the needle is different.
1. I know that HIV/Hep can survive in a needle bcs it is shielded from the environment, but what about other situations where blood could be protected from air, like if some blood gets on the cap of a bottle which is closed, or under the lid of something like a shower gel, or perhaps it could accumulate in the hole where the soap comes out or some other hole (which the person could contact and then touch genital/anal area when in shower), or even on a toilet, if the lid was shut down. Does it matter that they are protected from the air somewhat?
2. My brother told me he got cut in the feet by glass when in Poland - i've read you can't pass HIV/Hepatitis this way but does it matter if the cut was deep etc? I feel like it is just the same as a needle prick which confuses me
3. When i had blood taken, the nurse asked me to hold the little dish she kept the equipment in. Right after i got it, i touched the needle wound when the bandaid fell off. If there was blood on the bottom of the dish, or if i picked blood up from something else, or indeed if the nurse touched my wound, i feel like the blood could go into the wound which is the same as getting it from a needle?

My fears are down to misunderstanding and I worry that I've missed something and will pass on the infection to someone. I have been tested for HIV before my current r'ship so I don't want my anxiety to win by doing the test again if its not needed. Best wishes and thank you Dr.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Q1.  Again, no risk.

Q2.no, it does not make any difference which test is used. EWH

[nefertari79]

Many thanks Doctor for your help,I really appreciate it, this is my last comment.

Just to understand - Q1 I noticed there was a hole in our shower-gel bottle, under the lid, which would not necessarily contact the soap, and then someone touches their genitals/anal area it could pass infections like HIV/Hepatitis. But I'm guessing just bcs blood accumulates in a hole it doesn't mean it will survive as it does in a needle?

Q2 Does this logic apply for HIV/Hepatitis/syphilis and blood borne diseases in general? I have been tested for all and was told the antibody test would show previous infections, so I couldn't have passed to household member. Does it matter what syphilis antibody I tested for?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help. Each of your questions relate to the survival of viruses such as HIV or hepatitis in different environmental circumstances. It is difficult to make generalizations and I will not engage in a series of " what if" question.  They serve no purpose.

Please remember that when these viruses, or fluids (blood, genital secretions) containing them, mixing with other substances tend to damage the viruses, making the non- or less-infectious.  Similarly, temperatures other than body temperature and drying tendencies are also damaging for the viruses.  As a result, environmental exposures of each of the sort you describe are simply not realistic sources of infection.you do not need to worry about any of the situations you describe and do not need testing related to them.

I hope this comment is helpful.  EWH