Can HIV Be Contracted Through Skin Contact With Another's Blood?

Posted on Tue, 17 Mar 2015

Question: Sir, i 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 water 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 l show u my hand from which i did the handshake ...sir i m really scared ...pls help me ..i had sleepless nights for more that 3 days...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?

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No transmission of HIV infection

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
It is unlikely that you will have HIV infection from the above incident.

Your friend was careful enough to clean the blood on his fingers with cotton that was probably containing alcohol. You had handshake after he cleaned his fingers and you never had any open wound on your finger.

After the incident there was no blood on your hand that could have transmitted the infection.

The pictures do not show any bleeding wound.

For HIV transmission in blood the following has to hold good
1. The source blood has to be HIV infected and must be in sufficient amount.
2. It must come in contact with any open wound that you have.
3. Your wound should permit the HIV infected blood to enter your system

Since that did not happen, please do not worry.

Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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

Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (38 minutes later)

Sir , what if he had a needle prick on my friends hand ? I mean the blood would have come on my hand after 5 mins if there would have been a needle prick on his fingers? Further sir i washed my hands with water and i scratched my rashes with the same hand ...is there any chance that hiv could have entered through that rashes as it was bleeding?...further if there was no open wound on my hand ..would hiv be dead on my palm only? Sir please clear me

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
HIV is washed away in water

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

Please find my observations as follows.
1. Even if your friend had a needle stick, he would be more worried about his health and will not come to talk to you and shake hands. It was some blood of a patient which might have come on to his fingers when drawing blood.

2. Washing hands in water drains HIV with it and unlikely you had the infection.

3. There was no blood on your hand when you scratched the rashes. No way HIV will enter you.

Please do not worry.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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

Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (9 minutes later)

Sir, i had a hanshake with my right hand and further sir i washed my right hand only with normal water...is there any chance hiv would survive on my hand? I couldnt see any blood on my hand ..bt what if i had minute drops of blood which wouldnot be visible and would they be washed away by normal water...i just used water nothing else sir..:and after that i scratched my skin and ate food ...used those hands on my face ... What are the chances of hiv active on my hand after a normal wash with water only? Does tiny drops of blood can have active hiv? Wt if i had food wd d same hand? Touched my dick after 2 hrs...sir please provide a detailed answer to all my questions ..:i would be thankful to u sir ...please help me out..

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please find detailed answers below

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

Please find answers below.
1. HIV cannot exist by itself. It requires a vehicle to infect a new person and that is through blood.

2. There is something called viral load. Only if the viral load is high will the virus be present in adequate amount and in tiny droplets.

3. HIV cannot jump from one person to another and since there was no visible blood therefore it is impossible to picture that HIV virus came to your hand.

4. In a few minutes, the virus dries with the blood. I mean if there was no blood drops then it is impossible for HIV to survive. It is a weak virus and dies when exposed to the air.

5. Before you ate food, washing the hands killed most virus even if there was and then when your hands got dry then no virus will live.

6. If you went to washroom and touched penis after 2 hours then that is long time for virus to be alive.

7. If you are still in doubt, I suggest you the latest HIV screening test for peace of mind. You can do the tests at 3 months or 6 months after date of exposure depending on the test.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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