confusion on transmission

[madelineP]

I have read dirty syringes are a risk for hiv because hiv  lives in the air tight space for up to four weeks.  I have also read that if a negative person was to use a vial of steroids that an hiv positive person had used (with a dirty needle)  that there isn't a risk as long as the negative person uses a clean needle.  (the reason being because hiv can't live long outside the body)  I'm confused because I was under the impression that vials are air tight like syringes.  My question is would hiv live in a vial of medication?  I would imagine a clean syringe would be used to draw up the liquid in the vial and there would be hiv particles in the liquid.  I have read a clinic in Nevada suggested 40,000 people get hiv tested because they used single use vials on multiple patients.  I'm very confused because what I'm reading seems contradictory.  I know dentists and doctors don't go around using dirty needles and misusing medication.  I'm just wondering from a scientific point of view.  My thought is of novocaine.  If by chance hiv infected blood got into a vial of novocaine could it be passed to the next patient if a clean needle was used?  Would novocaine kill the hiv on contact?  Is the vial air tight keeping the hiv alive or does the liquid dilute it?

[Teak]

HIV doesn't die it's not alive. It's either active or inactive. Drs. don't reuse needles or syringes.

[madelineP]

I'm not certain of what dentists etc use.  Even the same question of steroid use, insulin use or novocaine as used in the endoscopy clinic has me perplexed.  I understand hiv dies upon drying and that it can't live in water.  I just wonder why there would be a risk associated.  I have also read that drug users should not share "water" because this could transmit the disease.  

The article that caught my attention and made me question things led me to your expertise on this board so I signed up hoping you would reply.  What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks!

[Teak]

What dentist uses a vial? They use dental syringes and pre-loaded cartridges.

[madelineP]

I read yahoo headline news that a man was recently awarded money because he contracted hepatitis c from an endoscopy clinic in Nevada a few years back.  When I read the article it indicated that all of those people should get an hiv test as well.  This got me thinking.

I understand hiv is much more frail than hepatitis but as I thought about it things started to not make sense.

If hiv can live in an air tight syringe couldn't it live in a air tight vial of novocaine?  Then I read that hiv can't live in water which is what novocaine is mixed with.  I'm just confused.
What would the risk be of double dipping and using the same vial but clean needles?  Like I said before I know medical professionals don't make a habit of doing this but the contradiction confuses me.  I have read certain ph levels also kill hiv but I'm not sure of the ph of novocaine, etc....

Thanks.

[Teak]

Where?

[madelineP]

thanks Vance.

Hi Teak,

What are your thoughts on this?  If HIV couldn't survive why would all of the people associated with multi vial use be recommended to take an HIV test?  

[Vance2335]

The liquid would run rough shot over the virus and deactivate it. Air is not the only thing that deactivates the virus. Temp changes, pH changes, and other factors it is exposed to. HIV while very serious and deadly outside of the body is very fragile and does not hold up well. While other STD's will "live" longer outside the body HIV does not.