Can HIV Be Contracted Through Accidental Skin Contact With Infected Blood?

Posted on Thu, 3 Dec 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 3 Dec 2015 Answered on

Wed, 23 Dec 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I work at a hospital and was charting on a computer when I looked down and noticed my dry skin had cracked and a drop of blood had formed. Without thinking I wiped it away with my finger - the same finger I had been typing with on the computer keyboard. The computer was at the nurses station outside of the room of a patient with Hep C and HIV. Is there any risk of infection if there had been dried blood with Hep C/HIV on the keyboard and I then proceeded to touch the blood on my hand with that finger that had touched the keyboard/mouse?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (49 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No risk of HIV/HCV

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us

I have gone through your query and I have understood you concern.

I don't think there is any risk of HIV and/ or HCV. The infected blood must enter the blood stream for infection to occur, therefore I don't think there is any risk of transmission through dried blood.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar