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needlestick injury to index finger with faulty insulin needle

Hello,

I managed to stick myself on a faulty insulin syringe when I went to remove the cap... The needle itself had pierced the hard plastic cap, and the plastic wrapper.

The wrapper itself was sealed, but after I tested the packaging with water, it indeed had a hole in it. IE , this was a manufacturer defect

My question is, I got the needle from a box of needles at the drug store. while I dont think the needle was deliberately tainted, I'm concerned that while others were rifling around in the box to get their insulin syringes they themselves could have pricked a finger on it.

Upon examination, there was no blood (mind u after the fact, so it could have come off in me) on the need, no injection event (I wasnt touch the plunger, and the needle itself was capped ( protuding from cap!) and jammed, although it could have come off in the stab itself

The needle did not appear to break my skin, and nor did I bleed. although there was a small reddish spot there , or a hole, that has remained now for a few hours. also some reddish discoloration around the area as well (hard to see).

the needle self is a 29 guage insulin syringe.

The way the box is open, the needles face download, so I dont think someone would have reached to the bottom of the box to feel around and prick themself... however they could have pulled it out and replaced it at a later date after pricking themselves...

am I at serious risk here for hiv? I am in the philippines and access to PEP here is not available, I will need to book ASAP back to usa if necessary for it?

4 Responses
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Avatar universal
Well thats a relief. when I look up needlestick injury on google, its nonstop horrors of nurses pricking their fingers and the  reports saying .32% hiv infection rate etc.

So basically, I've got nothing to worry about, unless someone really gauged themself on that needle and I somehow got extraordinarily unlucky?
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Avatar universal
well thats my concern, what if a drug user pricked his finger on the same needle i did...
so basically im fine, im just over reacting?
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
You couldn't get HIV from an insulin needle, even if it had been exposed to HIV + blood and you then stuck yourself.  Insulin needles are very small gauge, fine needles.  They could NEVER produce a significant enough injury to allow for transmission, nor could the needle contain enough blood to be a risk.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi, I just had a question for you,  So, I was in the hospital, gave an insulin shot, and when placing the needle into the sharps, it went through my glove and poked my hand, and I bled a small amount. I see that you say there's a small risk, but just wanted to double check.
3149845 tn?1506627771
Hi, you had no risk from the needle. The type of risk with needles is sharing IV drug needles.
Helpful - 0
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