Aa
fresh hiv positive blood
My hiv positive colleague was stuck with a knife in a nightclub over a fight with some stupid guys.
i helped him to take him to the hospital as he couldnt walk properly.
but a lot of his blood got on my hand while helping him i wouldnt have worried but i had a fresh cut on my hand.
now i am worried what if hiv could be transmitted to me from his blood through my fresh cut or could seep through my finger nails?
just wanted to know if i am at risk and if yes what test i should take?
i helped him to take him to the hospital as he couldnt walk properly.
but a lot of his blood got on my hand while helping him i wouldnt have worried but i had a fresh cut on my hand.
now i am worried what if hiv could be transmitted to me from his blood through my fresh cut or could seep through my finger nails?
just wanted to know if i am at risk and if yes what test i should take?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum and thanks for your question.
Your profile says you're in Dubai, where HIV positive foreigners are excluded and those found to be positive after arrival are deported. Are you sure he has HIV or merely suspicious or concerned about the possibility? Or perhaps you're currently in another country?
Assuming your colleague indeed has HIV, if your "fresh cut" was truly fresh -- for example, if you were cut in the same fight in which your colleague was injured and that wound was directly exposed toa large amount of his blood -- then you could be at risk. The level of risk might range anywhere from very low to very high, depending on how deep and severe your cut is, the amount of blood to which you were exposed, whether your colleague is on anti-HIV treatment, and his viral load (i.e. amount of virus in the blood).
This is not a situation in which you should be relying on a distant forum for advice. You need to immediately see a doctor or clinic, or perhaps a local emergency department knowledgeable about HIV. If an expert believes your exposure was substantial, you might be a candidate for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), i.e. anti-HIV drugs to prevent infection. The same considerations could also make a difference in what tests to have and their timing, e.g. a DNA/PCR test in a few days in addition to antibody testing later.
There is a highly qualified STD clinic in Dubai; I'll be interested to hear what they say if you visit. (http://www.stdclinicdubai.com/)
Best regards-- HHH, MD
Your profile says you're in Dubai, where HIV positive foreigners are excluded and those found to be positive after arrival are deported. Are you sure he has HIV or merely suspicious or concerned about the possibility? Or perhaps you're currently in another country?
Assuming your colleague indeed has HIV, if your "fresh cut" was truly fresh -- for example, if you were cut in the same fight in which your colleague was injured and that wound was directly exposed toa large amount of his blood -- then you could be at risk. The level of risk might range anywhere from very low to very high, depending on how deep and severe your cut is, the amount of blood to which you were exposed, whether your colleague is on anti-HIV treatment, and his viral load (i.e. amount of virus in the blood).
This is not a situation in which you should be relying on a distant forum for advice. You need to immediately see a doctor or clinic, or perhaps a local emergency department knowledgeable about HIV. If an expert believes your exposure was substantial, you might be a candidate for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), i.e. anti-HIV drugs to prevent infection. The same considerations could also make a difference in what tests to have and their timing, e.g. a DNA/PCR test in a few days in addition to antibody testing later.
There is a highly qualified STD clinic in Dubai; I'll be interested to hear what they say if you visit. (http://www.stdclinicdubai.com/)
Best regards-- HHH, MD
I am from dubai but this incident happened in thailand.
Also I want to give you exact details of incident.
Any ways I did not get cut in the same fight I had a small (not deep) cut on my hand which I got 3 hours prior to this fight while cutting an apple neither was I attacked with the knife in the nightclub.
But his blood was on my hand all over I mean his blood got on my hands while taking him to the hospital.
So my question is:
1) Can blood seep in through my small cut?
2) Can blood or virus enter my body underneath my nails?
3) Do I still need pep?
Also I want to give you exact details of incident.
Any ways I did not get cut in the same fight I had a small (not deep) cut on my hand which I got 3 hours prior to this fight while cutting an apple neither was I attacked with the knife in the nightclub.
But his blood was on my hand all over I mean his blood got on my hands while taking him to the hospital.
So my question is:
1) Can blood seep in through my small cut?
2) Can blood or virus enter my body underneath my nails?
3) Do I still need pep?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
OK, thanks for the clarifications.
Blood under the fingernails is no risk. The risk from exposure of a superficial cut, 3 hours old, probably is very, very low; by the time bleeding stops, a wound is "sealed" by clotting blood. However, I cannot say it is zero risk if exposed to large amounts of HIV infected blood.
Most likely you do not need PEP. But other factors can come into consideration, such as the status of your colleague's HIV infection discussed above (HIV treatment, viral load). However, there are no standardized guidelines on PEP. Sometimes it is prescribed even when the risk is very low, if the exposed person is very anxious about it. Other exposed persons are pretty relaxed and don't bother.
So my main advice above still holds: see a doctor or clinic as soon as possible, and for sure within 3 days (72 hours) of the exposure, then follow the advice you receive there about PEP and HIV testing.
Good luck; let me know what happens after you have sought care.
Blood under the fingernails is no risk. The risk from exposure of a superficial cut, 3 hours old, probably is very, very low; by the time bleeding stops, a wound is "sealed" by clotting blood. However, I cannot say it is zero risk if exposed to large amounts of HIV infected blood.
Most likely you do not need PEP. But other factors can come into consideration, such as the status of your colleague's HIV infection discussed above (HIV treatment, viral load). However, there are no standardized guidelines on PEP. Sometimes it is prescribed even when the risk is very low, if the exposed person is very anxious about it. Other exposed persons are pretty relaxed and don't bother.
So my main advice above still holds: see a doctor or clinic as soon as possible, and for sure within 3 days (72 hours) of the exposure, then follow the advice you receive there about PEP and HIV testing.
Good luck; let me know what happens after you have sought care.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If your colleague receives his HIV care in Thailand, consider contacting his doctor or clinc, where they are most likely to know whether he is on treatment and, perhaps most important, his viral load.
thanks a lot doctor here i went to the doctor he told me that pep is required if the cut on your figer was very fresh and bleeding
even if the cut was 10 to 15 minutes old and hiv positive blood came in contact with your small cut there is no need for pep.
also they told me my cut was small and not bleeding at that time so no risk?
even if the cut was 10 to 15 minutes old and hiv positive blood came in contact with your small cut there is no need for pep.
also they told me my cut was small and not bleeding at that time so no risk?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're repeating what I already said myself, so obviously I agree with your doctor.
That should wind up this thread. If get tested for HIV, feel free to post a comment with your test results. Until then, however, I won't have any more comments or advice.
That should wind up this thread. If get tested for HIV, feel free to post a comment with your test results. Until then, however, I won't have any more comments or advice.
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