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Survival of HIV in a frozen environment
Hello Doctor,
My situation is this:
A couple weeks ago I was eating a vanilla ice cream bar covered in chocolate, when I noticed a little red stain on the ice cream. It was under the chocolate, but on top of the ice cream. It was definitely not my blood because I checked my mouth afterward to see if it was. My question is if that were HIV contaminated blood, would it be able to survive? If not, please explain why HIV cannot survive in those conditions. I heard HIV can survive if frozen in blood, so I have been really worried that I may be at risk. I've heard that HIV cannot survive if dried, but is freezing it really drying it? If HIV could survive in there is it possible to get infected? I realize it is extremely unlikely, but there's always that feeling of "it could be me." I've even called the CDC and they could not give me a definite answer. I did not have any visible open cuts in my mouth, but I did brush my teeth shortly after eating the ice cream bar.
So, just to organize the questions a little better:
1. Could HIV contaminated blood survive in an ice cream bar if frozen the entire duration? If not, what would kill it?
2. Is it possible to be infected through oral exposure to HIV contaminated blood? If so, what are the chances?
Thanks Doctor, I know this may seem a bit irrational, but I hope you can understand my reasoning of why I might be at risk.
My situation is this:
A couple weeks ago I was eating a vanilla ice cream bar covered in chocolate, when I noticed a little red stain on the ice cream. It was under the chocolate, but on top of the ice cream. It was definitely not my blood because I checked my mouth afterward to see if it was. My question is if that were HIV contaminated blood, would it be able to survive? If not, please explain why HIV cannot survive in those conditions. I heard HIV can survive if frozen in blood, so I have been really worried that I may be at risk. I've heard that HIV cannot survive if dried, but is freezing it really drying it? If HIV could survive in there is it possible to get infected? I realize it is extremely unlikely, but there's always that feeling of "it could be me." I've even called the CDC and they could not give me a definite answer. I did not have any visible open cuts in my mouth, but I did brush my teeth shortly after eating the ice cream bar.
So, just to organize the questions a little better:
1. Could HIV contaminated blood survive in an ice cream bar if frozen the entire duration? If not, what would kill it?
2. Is it possible to be infected through oral exposure to HIV contaminated blood? If so, what are the chances?
Thanks Doctor, I know this may seem a bit irrational, but I hope you can understand my reasoning of why I might be at risk.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
HIV certainly could survive well if frozen; in fact, freezing is how HIV (and other viruses) are preserved in laboratories. However, that really is irrelevant to your situation. Oral exposure is low risk for HIV infection. Even if you were to swallow several ounces of fresh blood from an HIV infected person, most likely you would not become infected. Certainly the amount of virus in the small speck of blood (if that is what it was) would be extremely unlikely to allow transmission.
Bottom line: Zero risk. If HIV could be so easily transmitted, it would not be considered an STD and HIV/AIDS would be a hundred times more common than it is. You have no worries.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Bottom line: Zero risk. If HIV could be so easily transmitted, it would not be considered an STD and HIV/AIDS would be a hundred times more common than it is. You have no worries.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Just a few follow up questions:
So would you say that HIV could survive (if that were HIV-infected blood) if dipped in warm chocolate and then refrozen (I assume that is how that type of ice cream is made)?
Is there a minimum infectious dose of HIV? Can a single virus infect someone? Does the immune system kill some of the virus or is it completely helpless?
Although you did state that it was highly unlikely, I assume it is possible to be infected this way. What would you say the odds are to be infected this way?
I do plan to get tested at 3 weeks, but do you think this window is sufficient or would you suggest another time for peace of mind.
So would you say that HIV could survive (if that were HIV-infected blood) if dipped in warm chocolate and then refrozen (I assume that is how that type of ice cream is made)?
Is there a minimum infectious dose of HIV? Can a single virus infect someone? Does the immune system kill some of the virus or is it completely helpless?
Although you did state that it was highly unlikely, I assume it is possible to be infected this way. What would you say the odds are to be infected this way?
I do plan to get tested at 3 weeks, but do you think this window is sufficient or would you suggest another time for peace of mind.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Warm chocolate etc? Who knows? Since this is not a conceivable transmission route, it doesn't matter.
It takes lots of HIV for transmission to occur, and those virus particles must have access to the right kind of susceptible cells. This is why even the most efficient sexual transmission routes, such as receptive anal sex when HIV-infected semen (which is loaded with HIV) is deposited in the rectum, has an average transmission rate of only once in 100-200 exposures. "Just one virus" might be sufficient for direct intravenous inoculation, i.e. by infected blood -- but probably not even then.
You assume wrong. It probably is not possible for you to be infected in the way you describe. If you want a numerical estimate, I would put it at one chance in many million. But for the sake of argument, let's say 1 in a million. If you live in the US, you have 1 chance in 1,756 of dying of an accident within the next 12 months. That's 570 times the chance you caught HIV.
So put things in perspective and just drop the HIV business. It's a waste of your time, emtional energy, and money -- and of my time on this forum for any further discussion, so that ends this thread.
PS: Don't forget to use your seatbelt.
It takes lots of HIV for transmission to occur, and those virus particles must have access to the right kind of susceptible cells. This is why even the most efficient sexual transmission routes, such as receptive anal sex when HIV-infected semen (which is loaded with HIV) is deposited in the rectum, has an average transmission rate of only once in 100-200 exposures. "Just one virus" might be sufficient for direct intravenous inoculation, i.e. by infected blood -- but probably not even then.
You assume wrong. It probably is not possible for you to be infected in the way you describe. If you want a numerical estimate, I would put it at one chance in many million. But for the sake of argument, let's say 1 in a million. If you live in the US, you have 1 chance in 1,756 of dying of an accident within the next 12 months. That's 570 times the chance you caught HIV.
So put things in perspective and just drop the HIV business. It's a waste of your time, emtional energy, and money -- and of my time on this forum for any further discussion, so that ends this thread.
PS: Don't forget to use your seatbelt.
Tough love doctor, tough love. But I do appreciate it. I was concerned, but I also wanted to learn about the virus, hence the multiple questions. Thanks.
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