How Is HIV Transmitted?

Posted on Fri, 20 Jun 2014

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

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 Answered on

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I may have accidently touched my wifes vagina with my hand that had blood on it from a person that is rumored to hiv. The person accidently rubbed blood on my hand from a cut they had a few minutes later (not realizing) I touched my wifes vagina. however the part of my hand with the blood may have not even touched her and if it did it was barely on her moist vaginal lips. I am scared to death that I may have passed this on to my wife.

Answered by Dr. T Shobha Deepak (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Unlikely for infection to have been transmitted

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome to Healthcare-Magic
Greetings of the day

Dear Sir

It's very unlikely that you would have transmitted infection to your wife.
Once the blood dries , HIV virus undergo rapid destruction. They need a vehicular medium in the form of secretion or unclotted blood for them to remain viable. As the blood would have dried up its unlikely that HIV virus could have been viable.

Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.

Take care
Best Regards
Dr T Shobha Deepak
MBBS, MD

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