Assessment For HIV Transmission

[Tee921]

Hi Doctor
Okay.  Yesterday, someone who I believe to be positive placed food from her plate with her used fork ontomine, and I ate it.  Please tell me if I could get HIV this way.  I dont think I have any open cuts in my mouth but I may have gingivitis, what is my risk, I am so scared!!! Can any saliva left on the food I ate have infected me?  I also did not SEE any blood on her fork.  Please let me know-WORRIED.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

HIV is not transmitted that way.  There is no risk.  If such exposure could transmit the virus, HIV would not be classified as an STD or blood-borne infection; and AIDS would be a hundred times more comon than it is.  Among other things, saliva normally does not contain infectious HIV.  And even if visible blood were present, it would make little or no difference.  As further evidence, people who live in the homes of HIV infected persons -- routinely sharing bathrooms, towels, kitchens, and eating utensils -- never catch HIV (assuming they aren't also sex or needle-sharing partners).

There are plenty of health risks worth worrying about.  This is not one of them.

HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You are abusing the forum.  One more anxiety provoked, inappropriate question and this entire thread will be immediately deleted without further comment.

[badday103]

Are you kidding me!  You dont need to test at all.  YOU DO need to see a DR. about your total irrational fear.

[Tee921]

please answer! I took a test 30 day post the incident, home access test, do i need to retest based on this event?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Of course it was sarcastic!  It was intentional.

To repeat what I said in my original reply:  "HIV is not transmitted that way.  There is no risk.  If such exposure could transmit the virus, HIV would not be classified as an STD or blood-borne infection; and AIDS would be a hundred times more comon than it is."  Blood in the mouth, inflamed gums, etc make no difference.  Period.   I don't care how worried you are; there is no basis for it.  Indeed, this is "totally crazy" on your part (your words) and you can move on.

No more comments, please.  That's the end of this thread.

[Tee921]

I sense some sarcasm in that reply!  anyway, i just thought about it again today and began researching it on the internet, and nonetheless I am still worried! the internet states that it is possible if blood is present in saliva and i also have inflamed gums, making it easier to infect??  then again, there was no "direct contact" since her fork touched the food which i then ate, not like i stuck the fork in my mouth or anything...it has only been three and a half weeks and i just want to know for certain that this is totally crazy on my part so i could move on! thanks in advance, doc

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Feel free to be tested if you want.  But if you're going to do it based on this event, you may as well plan on just having an HIV test every 1-2 months the rest of your life.  For every person you know has HIV or might be at risk, you probably have similar "exposures" to 10 or 100 others who have HIV that you don't know about.  What about waiters in restaurants?  Health care employees in your doctor's office?  People working cash registers who make change when you purchase something?  All those carry similar chances of HIV transmission as you describe above.

Why not worry instead about health risks that carry much higher risks of harming your health than nonsexually transmitted HIV?  Like avoiding getting struck by lightning.

[Tee921]

Thanks A lot.  I feel better now, but will probably test in two month anyway for peaceof mind.