Expert: Terry B - 7/24/2008

Question
Dear Terry,

Thanks for the great work that you are doing.
My wife and I were in the shopping center looking at stroller for our expected baby and the customer service guy came to help us, after 2-3 mins he cut himself with the edge of the stroller and he bled small amount of blood -no spilling though- then he put a bandage on the cut, I had 10 hours old small cut on thumb and I am not sure if his blood came to the stroller then it came in contact with my old cut. I didn't feel anything wet on my finger and I didn't see anything on it. what are the chances of HIV transmission in this scenario? Your help is highly appreciated.

Worried

Answer
Dear Soon to be Worried No More:

There's almost no chance of any infection from what you describe, and less so for HIV, which is not easily transmitted.  I can't give you a statistic because we don't have "experiments" like that - but of the multiple exposures endured from persons known to be HIV positive and the people who provide their care, in the past 25 years of this epidemic a relatively small number have been infected, and most of these from hollow-bore needle injuries.  You can look up the precise stats at www.cdc.gov for occupational risk if you so desire.

I had a question once about what constitutes "intact skin" and read many many pages about that debate - essentially a fresh cut begins healing pretty quickly (that is, yours) and because you question whether you might have been significantly exposed suggests to me that the amount and duration of any exposure was inconsequential.

Not to be glib, but I hope you got the stroller at a discount, filed down the sharp piece, and cleaned it up with some 10% bleach solution for your troubles.

Best to you and yours, congratulations and good luck with the expected blessing.

Terry