transmission confusion

[radial194]

Hello Doctor h hunter handsfield,

i am a 45 year old man and i have recently been diagnosed with hiv virus during my routine medical examination three weeks back.
my wife and my son also got tested but by god's grace they have negative results even though we have been living in the same house.
yesterday while i was shaving from a single blade i got a cut on my chin but unfortunately my son got cut by the same blade which he used mistaking as a new blade.
his cut was a small cut but he bled.
now we all are very upset please advice us whether there is a significant risk?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your questions have been addressed and there is no reason to repeat them - the answers will not change.  You have heard the same answer from your doctor and from me.  As I also said, to ask "what if..." of "has it ever..." questions is of no use or benefit and will not be considered.  Further redundant, anxiety-driven questions of the sort you have asked several times will be deleted.  EWH

[radial194]

As far as your family is concerned, don't worry, the virus is nto transmitted in the context of normal activites of daily living.

even my doctor here whom i consulted today told me that just wanted to confirm if he is correct:

1) even if a sewing pin or scissors etc etc or any other thing at home cuts you or  your son it is not a risk as there would not be enough blood and hence not enough virus for transmission to take place.



2) for a blade to transmit virus there has be a very deep cut on my son .and again huge amount of blood

are these staements correct

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm sorry, I am not going to get into an exhange in which we try to guess how long HIV can live outside of the body on inanimate objects.  Even in the body the virus lives only a few hours.  Outside of the body it begins to die on exposure to air and as the process of dying begins, it is less and less likely to cause in infection. Varibles such a temperature, drying or the presence of water, soap, etc all effect this.  

As far as your family is concerned, don't worry, the virus is nto transmitted in the context of normal activites of daily living.

I will have no other comments as to "how long" the virus can live or other "what if" questions. This is not productive for you or for me.  



EWH

[radial194]

i have moved on doctor keeping my fingers crossed.

I have a question that how long is hiv virus active outside body?

i would like to add that i read it doesn't survive long but how long it can survive or be infectious on household items like

sewing pins or stapler pin

scissor

nailcutters

i am asking this as these are the things which i can share with my family or not?

[radial194]

i have moved on doctor keeping my fingers crossed.

I have a question that how long is hiv virus active outside body?

i would like to add that i read it doesn't survive long but how long it can survive or be infectious on household items like

sewing pins or stapler pin

scissor

nailcutters

i am asking this as these are the things which i can share with my family or not?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I would move on.  EWH

[radial194]

I forgot to write that there was a time gap of 2 to 3 minutes between my cut and my son's
unfortunately my son didn't rinse the blade rather directly started shaving some hair on chin nor did he put shaving cream or soap.
Is 2 to 3 minutes gap make this no risk ?
And the cut my son had was small
Also you said personally I would not worry so should I also not worry and move on or should I get my son tested?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Dr. Handsfield and I share the forum.  You got me.  FYI, the reason we share the forum is because we have worked together for nearly 30 years and while our verbiage styles vary, we have never disagreed on management strategies or advice to clients.  I will be addressing your question.

Your question is one that has both a scientific answer and an emotional one.  The emotional part is that when it comes to family we want to do nothing that creates any risk for HIV infection for a family member.  As a result, sometimes people overreact to events such as the one you describe and, in doing so, do more harm than good (HIV prevention with PEP has many side effects and less than half of people who start to take it complete it).

Shared razors are not particularly high risk for HIV transmission although there is a theoretical chance that transmission could occur.  I presume that after you cut yourself, the razor was rinsed in water, probably with soap present, that your son also rinsed the razor before he began to shave, again probably with soap present, and that some time passed between your completion of shaving and his beginning to do so.  The water and or soap would kill HIV if exposed.  Similarly, HIV begins to die as soon as it is out of the body so the time between your shaving and his also reduced the risk for infection.    If even some of these things happened, then his risk of infection is no zero but is minuscule and is not something I would worry about.  Further, if you are already on therapy for your HIV, this also further reduces the likelihood that you could transmit infection directly to him on a contaminated razor.  

I hope these comments are helpful to you in your decision making.  Personally, I would not worry.  EWH