HIV Transmission

[BigT]

I work at a nightclub as a bouncer and often times I will pull apart people in a fight where one or both are busted open, my shirt often gets blood on it, sometimes some drops will be on my hands or a little on my face....it is possible to get HIV in this manner? Like if you have a small cut or scratch on your skin even....or if it gets in your fingernails...now I am talking some blood drops that splash as I am pulling somebody off another person.....I know this may sound stupid, but I do not know and want to check with some people on the board. ALSO.....when having an HIV test, how long should you wait for anything you possibly have to show up?? I have heard it can be up to 6 months before anything shows up....I have heard years....i have also heard that new tests would show anything instantly....so any info. on that would be appreciated too.

 

[21inch_arms]

I am researching this as we speak, so that I can give you the most current information. As far as I know HIV can take as long as 6 months to show up in your blood, but it is usually detectable within 90 days. I don't believe there are any documented cases of HIV transferred through skin absorption (or under your nails). It would by extremely rare to get HIV from anything other than intercourse, sharing needles, or blood transfusion because HIV does not survive long when exposed to air and the blood of an infected person would have to enter your blood stream. In the instance of someone biting you, that’s when you have to worry you can get any number of diseases and infections. Just to be safe I would get tested every 6 months. I am married and monogamous and I still get tested once a year. I get back to you when I find out more about the new HIV testing methods.

 

[BigT]

Thanks bro......I appreciate the reply...I am with you and I am all about monogamy, so people think I am nuts wanting to get tested every so often, but I see no harm in it....so let me know what your research brings you....thsnks again...

 

[usersatch]

It is possible to transmit HIV like you described, but highly unlikely. The virus can survive in the air for less than five minutes (it has a weak nucleocapsid coat that is very susceptible to oxidation by O2). Unless the blood gets into a break in the lining of the skin, you won't probably get infected. Remember that the virus is on the order of billionths of an inch in size, so the hole in yourskin doesn'thave to be too big.

To put things in perspective: A recent well known study found that during unprotected heterosexual sex: if the man has HIV and the woman doesn't (and hasn't had a previous STD) her chances of getting HIV is less then 2%. If she has had an STD (which causes a break in the lining of the skin) her chances increase to over 95%.