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What Are The Chances Of HIV Transmission Through Open Wounds?

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Posted on Thu, 19 Mar 2015
Question: Dr i had a small wound on my right hand finger ...i had a shakehand with a random person ...i dnt know whether thr was any blood on his hand or not but i had a small wound ...i l send u d picture...is there any chance of hiv transmission through this wound ...i mean it was not bleeding actively ...help me out ..m very scared sir ...is this wound sufficient to pass the blood into body ? What if he had dry blood on his hand and that dry blood touched my wound ...help me sir pls
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (38 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
HIV is unlikely to get transmitted in this way.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.

Every one of us had such situation in our day to day life. We are meeting daily so many known and unknown persons. There is every chance to have an open wound on our hand and also with those we had touched. But HIV is very much unlikely to spread in this way. If it possible in this way, almost all health care providers, lab technicians and cleaners in health care setting and care takers of all HIV positive people would have infected with HIV. Thank God it is not that situation. Nobody will get HIV in this route. So you need not worry about the same.
Dr S.Murugan


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (57 minutes later)
Sir i agree with u ...bt people say if there is a open wound on ur hand and blood gets into it then u can get hiv if the blood is hiv positive ? And i had a small wound as u can see ...what are the chances as i had a casual handshake ? Please provide a detailed answer ...and how deep a wound should be so that if a blood enters our wound it can go into our blood ? Sir please provide detailed answer
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Your HIV risk is negligible as per CDC, XXXXXXX

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.

As per CDC XXXXXXX the risk of HIV transmission through such route is negligible.

This is not related to how deep the wound is.
The contact should be HIV positive and should have a very high viral load in his blood (If he is treated and viral load is low chances are still remote).The virus can not survive outside the body fluid not more than few seconds. Casual contacts are not regular route of transmission.
I am in the field of HIV management for more than 25 years as that of my colleagues. We happened to handle HIV positive individuals daily and other doctors also unknowingly handle so many patients in their day to day life (Obstetrician, ENT, Dental surgeons, General surgeons, Emergency care physicians etc). We never got disease in this manner. So nothing to worry.
Dr S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (3 hours later)
Sir,so nice of u..i met with another situation on last monday ..can u clear my doubts on that incident too? So the incident was..went to my diagnostic center for a blood group test...i couldnt see them open a new syringe in front of me ..so after my test i concerned the workers there ...i met my frnd there who was working with that diagnostic centere ...he showed me how blood is drawn from a patient ...while disposing off the syringe he had blood in his fingers and further he was cleaning it with a cotton ...i dnt knw whether that was a needle prick or something else ...after 5 mins we had a handshake and further i forgot that he had blood on his fingers....fortunately there was no blood on my hand after the handshake and i washed my hands with went to my diagnostic center for a blood group test...i couldnt see them open a new syringe in front of me ..so after my test i concerned the workers there ...i met my frnd there who was working with that diagnostic centere ...he showed me how blood is drawn from a patient ...while disposing off the syringe he had blood in his fingers and further he was cleaning it with a cotton ...i dnt knw whether that was a needle prick or something else ...after 5 mins we had a handshake and further i forgot that he had blood on ..i ate my food with that hands only and with the hands i was using them on my face and i was scratching my rashes with the same hand...i used the same hands on my penis in the washroom and i washed my hands thoroughly after 3 hours...sir i am really scared ...can hiv be transmitted through these acts ...sir i had rashes which i hv scrached after handshake ...sir is there any possibility of hiv transmission into my skin?....sir after handshake i scratched my rashes and lil blood was out frn that ..:can hiv be transmitted through it after the handshake? ater only...i ate my food with that hands only and with the hands i was using them on my face and i was scratching my rashes with the same hand...i used the same hands on my penis in the washroom and i washed my hands thoroughly after 3 hours...sir i am really scared ...can hiv be transmitted through these acts ...sir i had rashes which i hv scrached after handshake ...sir is there any possibility of hiv transmission into my skin? I...sir i m really scared .....please provide a detailed answer to my question ...sir after the handshake i scratched my rashes and lil blood was out frn that ..:can hiv be transmitted through it after the handshake?sir is it possible to transmit hiv as if i got blood on my hand and was using it on my face,eyes eating food and scratching my rashes? Sir pls help
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
you will not get HIV

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
HIV is not viable outside body fluid not more than few seconds and cannot survive in dry blood stain. So you need not bother about the hand shaking. You will not get the disease. Dr Murugan
Note: Get personalized answers to your HIV related queries You can choose to talk face to face with your doctor. Book a Video Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan

HIV AIDS Specialist

Practicing since :1974

Answered : 3113 Questions

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What Are The Chances Of HIV Transmission Through Open Wounds?

Brief Answer: HIV is unlikely to get transmitted in this way. Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome to HCM. Thanks for posting your query. Every one of us had such situation in our day to day life. We are meeting daily so many known and unknown persons. There is every chance to have an open wound on our hand and also with those we had touched. But HIV is very much unlikely to spread in this way. If it possible in this way, almost all health care providers, lab technicians and cleaners in health care setting and care takers of all HIV positive people would have infected with HIV. Thank God it is not that situation. Nobody will get HIV in this route. So you need not worry about the same. Dr S.Murugan