fresh blood on fresh cut

[panga1980]

i just had an exposure where fresh blood of a hiv positive person (my uncle living in the same house) came in contact with my fresh cut (with a knife) which was 2 to 3 minutes old.
it all happened accidently .
What are the chances that I could have gotten hiv. Do you think I need to test?
is this a route of transmission?
i am quiet worried

[Edward W Hook, MD]

the answer is no.

Time for this thread to end.  EWH

[panga1980]

Thanks doctor
I have one last question
I understand that hiv cannot survive in pure water but can it survive in drain water?
I mean can it survive in hiv positive blood mixed in drain water?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I did understand your question but you now provide additional details not present in your original question including that the blood was mixed with water.  Pure water inactivates HIV (by killing it) almost immediately.  If the contact you describe involved water which contained blood from an HIV infected person there is virtually no risk of infection.  

1.  No, HIV cannot survive in water.

2.  See abov e.  Most unlikely. EWH

[panga1980]

hello doctor
thanks for the reply but i guess you didnt understand my question
actually i got a cut with a knife and after 2 minutes of that hiv positive blood of my uncle came in contact with my cut also his blood was mixed in water.
so i got cut before my uncle got cut and his blood mixed with water came in contact with my fresh cut.
my question is:
1) can hiv positive blood survive in water.

2) if hiv positive blood mixed with water or without water comes in contact with a cut which is 2 minutes old..is it a risk?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If a knife which had just cut a person with HIV then cut you, this would qualify as a reason for taking PEP witht he risk of infection being perhaps 1%, although the risk of infection from such an exposure would remain quite low.  If blood somehow dropped or was spread from one person to another, the risk of infection is still lower.   If the occurrence of the two incidents (the cuts) was separate in time by even a few minutes, the risk of transmission of HIV falls remarkably quickly, to virtually zero after just a few minutes.

Decisions about PEP are a personal decision in which one should consider the likelihood that infection will occur, the likelihood of drug side effects, one's personal anxiety and the cost of the drugs (expensive, typically in the neighborhood of $1000).   If you choose to try to find someone to provide you with PEP, please hold them accountable for all that goes with it (i.e. follow-up, answering your questions, etc).  

I hope this comment is helpful.  EWH