How Long Does The HIV Virus Survive Outside The Body?

Posted on Fri, 9 Dec 2016

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

Fri, 9 Dec 2016 Answered on

Fri, 30 Dec 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : question for information purposes. I officiate wrestling and mixed martial arts. There were a lot of bleeders at the match last night. Of course we stop the match when there is blood and a medic cleans the wrestler and the mat. My questions are:

1. How long would the HIV live on the mat for instance if we missed a spot and another wrestler came into contact with the spilled blood.

2. How deep a wound does it need to be does a scratch or mat burn suffice?

3. As the official I came home after the match; used the bathroom and ate dinner, if there was something on my hand could it get into am abrasion I had, the time frame was for this was an hour to an hour and a half.

So I guess I want to know if HIV can be transmitted from blood on a wrestling mat

How long can it live in blood outside the body

In my case could I get Hiv from the mat, to my hand and then in another wound I was taking care of after one to one and a half hours after possible exposure.

Would HIV still be infectious in blood that was been outside the body after over an hour

Thanks

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
HIV can't survive outside blood and body fluids not more than few seconds.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
You had asked many questions, but the answer is the same for all. HIV can not survive outside the blood and body fluids not more than few seconds. It can be viable as long as the blood stain is wet. Once it get dried then the HIV can no longer survive. The time for the drying of a blood stain depends upon the size and quantity of the stain,climate and atmospheric water content in your area etc. But it could never be longer than an hour.
Dr S.Murugan

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

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (19 minutes later)

SO, once the blood leaves the body it would be non infectious.

I have heard that HIV cannot transmit from a surface to a person, it has to be human to human in a closed environment. Is this correct; if so it would be impossible to be infected from a wrestling mat am I correct?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (35 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
HIV Transmission risk through casual Contact is negligible.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As I mentioned earlier, theoretically infected blood drops are infectious as long as they got dried. But practically this type of new infection is uncommon.
Dr S Murugan

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