I Was Working In A Hotel, Saw What Looked Like

Posted on Wed, 24 Jul 2019

Question: I was working in a hotel, saw what looked like a clean towel folded in the corner (minimum it had been there for several minutes before I even noticed it...though fairly likely it had been placed there several hours earlier). I touched it with bare hands despite raw skin on my right middle finger (I'll provide pictures) and discovered what looked like little droplets of blood on the towel. I immediately dropped it, put on purell, put on nitrile gloves, and disposed of it. I will leave pictures of the towels as well.

Could this pose any risk for infection of HIV? What about Hep B or C considering the wound on my hand? Assuming worst case scenario with the unknown person (if it was even actual blood in the first place).

Thank you.

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (7 minutes later)

I also have a dried up/healing cut on my thumb bit it is incredibly small.

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is unlikely for HIV, Hepatitis B and C transmitted in this way

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Ask A Doctor service.
Thanks for posting your query.
First of all, the stain over the towel could be anything other than blood. HIV, and Hepatitis B and C organisms are viable only in body fluids and can not survive outside for not more than few seconds.
They cannot remain over towel for minutes and not able to transmit the infection through this means. So not to worry.
Dr S Murugan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj