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Wet Blood Exposure
Drs. HHH/Hook,
You are both incredible men. Thank you for your help. It’s one of the few places I can turn to for comfort, and these days, comfort is what I seek. I am in desperate need of help.
I was picking up garden debris (paper, styrofoam, etc) and saw that some of the debris had a little wet blood on it. The debris had been on the grass for ~36 hours and no one can get to the lawn area except me (unless a thief got into our yard...yes I know this sounds so far-fetched). I picked up the debris being careful not to touch the blood, but who knows, I may have touched it a bit. My fingers are also with intact skin (no visible and actively bleeding cuts or scrapes but who knows if there were small not viewable cuts). My question is, assuming it was actually human blood, and was HIV positive blood that had come on the debris 36 hours prior to my picking it up, and that I touched it,
1) am I at risk? I read that dry blood is not a risk, but again, this was not fully dry because it was in the garden and there was a lot of moisture in the air which helped keep the blood moist/wet. I also worry that maybe someone came into the yard at night (ie, within the 36 hours, say 4 hours prior), and I know that I am assuming the blood was HIV infected.
2) Does it matter that I had peeled hangnails where you can see the redness underneath (I'd picked a hangnail 2 to
3 days prior).
3) should i test, not just for peace of mind, but for medical/clinical sake?
4) Can i have sex with my wife?
Thank you so much. I am so exhausted with HIV fears. I just can't handle this anymore. Please remember that the blood was moist/wet.
Gratefully yours.
-Scared Garden Guy
You are both incredible men. Thank you for your help. It’s one of the few places I can turn to for comfort, and these days, comfort is what I seek. I am in desperate need of help.
I was picking up garden debris (paper, styrofoam, etc) and saw that some of the debris had a little wet blood on it. The debris had been on the grass for ~36 hours and no one can get to the lawn area except me (unless a thief got into our yard...yes I know this sounds so far-fetched). I picked up the debris being careful not to touch the blood, but who knows, I may have touched it a bit. My fingers are also with intact skin (no visible and actively bleeding cuts or scrapes but who knows if there were small not viewable cuts). My question is, assuming it was actually human blood, and was HIV positive blood that had come on the debris 36 hours prior to my picking it up, and that I touched it,
1) am I at risk? I read that dry blood is not a risk, but again, this was not fully dry because it was in the garden and there was a lot of moisture in the air which helped keep the blood moist/wet. I also worry that maybe someone came into the yard at night (ie, within the 36 hours, say 4 hours prior), and I know that I am assuming the blood was HIV infected.
2) Does it matter that I had peeled hangnails where you can see the redness underneath (I'd picked a hangnail 2 to
3 days prior).
3) should i test, not just for peace of mind, but for medical/clinical sake?
4) Can i have sex with my wife?
Thank you so much. I am so exhausted with HIV fears. I just can't handle this anymore. Please remember that the blood was moist/wet.
Gratefully yours.
-Scared Garden Guy
Dr, hopefully this gets posted because I think it will help the other worried well patients. A friend, who is an oral surgeon, told me today that while not optimal, many drs (surgeons, ER docs, etc) get "fresh" (new, from the "source") blood on their skin from time to time, and they simply wash it off. I asked my friend if he worried about this, and he said "no. never." I asked him if he still had sex with his wife, to which he said "100%." This gave me a lot of comfort and I hope it does the same for others.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There are no data on this -- of course there has never been research on survival of HIV in the circumstances you decribe (wet dew etc). My guess is that HIV would die and not be transmissible. In any case, your continued worries about all this should be a topic for your therapist and/or the doctor who prescribed Zoloft -- which is not likely to cause the side effects you worry about.
I won't have any further comments or advice. That will end this thread. Good luck.
I won't have any further comments or advice. That will end this thread. Good luck.
Thank you sir. While you're saying ignore the biological reasons, I know myself well enough to know such reasoning would help. Thus, can't I take comfort in the fact that the blood had been out for a while despite staying moist? At least 3 hours and more likely 36 hours or more? (Please don't close the thread). And yes I will take a duo test at 28 days. My dr also suggested Zoloft, but I'm worried about the side effects such as fever and rash and chalking those up to ARS. I will also go see a mental health therapist soon.
Thank you sir. While you're saying ignore the biological reasons, I know myself well enough to know such reasoning would help. Thus, can't I take c
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"would these hangnails be an issue were it actually human hiv positive blood?"
No. I would advise you to ignore the biological explanations -- whether or not HIV survives, the effect of a hangnail, etc -- and just concentrate on the fact that there has never been a known HIV infection from environmental exposure to HIV infected blood or body fluids. Do you really think there is any realistic chance you'll make medical history by being the first?
As I also said, you are free to have an HIV test if this reasoned, science-based reassurance isn't sufficiento to calm you fears about it.
No. I would advise you to ignore the biological explanations -- whether or not HIV survives, the effect of a hangnail, etc -- and just concentrate on the fact that there has never been a known HIV infection from environmental exposure to HIV infected blood or body fluids. Do you really think there is any realistic chance you'll make medical history by being the first?
As I also said, you are free to have an HIV test if this reasoned, science-based reassurance isn't sufficiento to calm you fears about it.
My wife who is a dentist confirmed it was blood
One other point. My wife, a dentist , c
Dr, thank you. A follow up: would these hangnails be an issue were it actually human hiv positive blood ?
I've also received many conflicting views from doctors about the viability /activity of hiv outside the human host. Some say it dies in minutes even in wet blood, while I've also heard "hours" and not just in a lab setting. Thank you.
I've also received many conflicting views from doctors about the viability /activity of hiv outside the human host. Some say it dies in minutes even in wet blood, while I've also heard "hours" and not just in a lab setting. Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
Your description of "wet blood" suggests you have reviewed the forum and seen previous replies about HIV dying when blood dries. But I you might have missed all the replies that point out that nobody in the world, in the 30+ years of the known worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic, has ever been known to acquire HIV by exposure to contaminated blood, body fluids, or sharp instruments in the environment. It seems to never happen, despite theoretical risks that it could. We simply never see people in HIV/AIDS clinics who do not have the traditional risks -- unprotected sex, shared drug injection equipment, etc.
To your specific questions:
1) This was a zero risk event. Even if you really were exposed to blood (which I am skeptical about), the chance it came from an HIV infected person is exceedingly low, probably zero for practical purposes.
2) Therefore, hangnail or wounds on your fingers make no difference.
3) Definitely no need to test for medical/risk reasons. The reassurance bit is up to you, but I certainly wouldn't do it if I were in your shoes.
4) You should continue normal relations with your wife without worry.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Your description of "wet blood" suggests you have reviewed the forum and seen previous replies about HIV dying when blood dries. But I you might have missed all the replies that point out that nobody in the world, in the 30+ years of the known worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic, has ever been known to acquire HIV by exposure to contaminated blood, body fluids, or sharp instruments in the environment. It seems to never happen, despite theoretical risks that it could. We simply never see people in HIV/AIDS clinics who do not have the traditional risks -- unprotected sex, shared drug injection equipment, etc.
To your specific questions:
1) This was a zero risk event. Even if you really were exposed to blood (which I am skeptical about), the chance it came from an HIV infected person is exceedingly low, probably zero for practical purposes.
2) Therefore, hangnail or wounds on your fingers make no difference.
3) Definitely no need to test for medical/risk reasons. The reassurance bit is up to you, but I certainly wouldn't do it if I were in your shoes.
4) You should continue normal relations with your wife without worry.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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