What are the chances?

[maccaj51]

I was with my Girlfriend for 6 years and have never had unprotected sex... her wishes not mine... so it would be almost impossible for me to have contracted hiv sexually. But i went to south africa in July and sliced my foot open quite badly. I got immediate medical assistance from a chap in a township! I was pretty out of it when i was receiving medical attention so i cant remember the circumstances but it wasnt all that clean.

I have got OCD myself so worry about any little illness or condition. I just wanted to know what the likelihood of hiv being able to infect me through the wound in my foot?! how much blood would have to have got into the cut & whether it is possible at all? Also whether i should get tested?!

Thanks in advance

[Edward W Hook, MD]

So, to re-phrase what I believe I read above, you cut your foot in South Africa and the wound was washed out.  You are concerned that in this process you might have been infected with HIV.  If I have summarized the events you describe properly, there is no risk to you from having had your wound cleaned.  We get many questions about the possibility of HIV infection thought contact with open wounds.  these questions, like your betrays a lack of understanding of how HIV is transmitted.  Other than by sexual contact, HIV is transmitted when it is introduced by injection into tissue and, most often, the blood stream.  This does not happen with open wounds in which the blood is flowing out of the body or in which something is used to clean a wound.

Bottom line, Zero risk.  No reason for concern.  No reason for testing.  EWH

[maccaj51]

Just to add some rationality into the story to give you the better picture. From memory and friends accounts the chap looked healthy and didnt use any "tools" apart from a solution and some band aids.... plus he didnt have any visible cuts.