
How Is HIV Transmitted?

Question: Hi recently I went for a massage. Prior to getting the massage I had skinned my knee. While the wound had dried up, blood would still trickle out when I moved my knee. My question is, is there any risk of getting infected with hiv through semen or other bodily fluids that were on the towel and might have gotten into the cut on my knee ?
Brief Answer:
No extremely unlikely
Detailed Answer:
hi thanks for your question,
although you can never say never in medicine it is extremely unlikely that you would get a disease such as HIV from this route. risk is always a difficult concept to explain so I'll give you some examples.
the chance of getting HIV from a contaminated needle after a needle stick injury in a surgeon is 1 in a 1000 i.e. it is not a forgone conclusion even in this situation.
if you put this in context the risk if being involved in a major road traffic accident is 1 in 350.
I hope this reassures you. Personally I would not be concerned but if you remain worried you could always have an HIV test.
best wishes
No extremely unlikely
Detailed Answer:
hi thanks for your question,
although you can never say never in medicine it is extremely unlikely that you would get a disease such as HIV from this route. risk is always a difficult concept to explain so I'll give you some examples.
the chance of getting HIV from a contaminated needle after a needle stick injury in a surgeon is 1 in a 1000 i.e. it is not a forgone conclusion even in this situation.
if you put this in context the risk if being involved in a major road traffic accident is 1 in 350.
I hope this reassures you. Personally I would not be concerned but if you remain worried you could always have an HIV test.
best wishes
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

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