Worrying about HIV

[julia241977]

I work in a lab with human tissue, and today I was handling a sample with sharp forceps. I ended up poking myself with the forceps while cleaning them with alcohol. It hurt a little, but neither my gloves nor my skin broke.

Even though there was no blood, and even though I was cleaning them when it happened, I'm still freaking out about possibly getting HIV (the status of our human samples is unknown).

The chances of transmission in this case are probably zero, but I'm so scared. Honestly just some reassuring words would help rn so I don't panic buy PEP medication.

[O_O]

It would literally be impossible to catch HIV from this.

A. You don't know the sample was even HIV positive

B. The instrument was convered in cleaning product.

C. Your skin didn't break.

D. Your glove didn't even break.

Even if the sample was seething with HIV, it would still be impossible that you'd caught it because your glove formed a barrier. And your skin formed an additional barrier.

It would have to get directly into your blood stream for you even to be at risk.

In your case, it's impossible that you got HIV from this.

[Kazzamac]

Also doesn’t the HIV virus dies after certain amount of seconds in external air I thought it had to be fresh blood

[Midnight-mouse]

HIV is such a fragile virus, it really does need perfect transmission conditions and even then it’s not guaranteed.

Your skin is the barrier and it’s done it’s job, it didn’t break, aside from the fact the glove didn’t break either meaning there’s no way the virus (if it was even hypothetically present) could of entered your body.


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[Andy699]

Just remember that HIV is a VERY difficult virus to catch, it dies seconds after leaving the human body. Even if by some weird phenomenon that the virus was still alive on the needle it didn't pierce your glove so theres no way you're infected. Stay strong, HIV was a big HA one for me too