Expert: Terry B - 8/1/2008

Question
I am a 26 year old male from Mumbai. I will be very thankful if you help me resolve this. I would appreciate if you can analyse my risk and give me your valuable advice

My Q is as below

I was at my gym. when came back to the canteen after my shower there was another member seated there who had hurt his finger badly and it was bleeding profusely. After about two minutes when he left from there i sat on the same table and unknowingly kept my hand there. but the minute i saw blood stains( both blood droplets and blood with water) i got up from there. but at that moment i just forgot to wash my hands and ate with the same hand. although i did not see any fresh blood on my hand I am scared there might a possibility of a droplet. There are no cuts or abrasions on my hands but what about the sandwich i ate. what if the blood went on my sandwhich and went into my system. is there a chance of me being infected with this. i repeat i saw no blood drooping from my hand but can a li'l droplet pass through my food and infect me. I AM WORRIED AS I WAS NOT SURE OF THE STATUS OF MY MOUTH... THERE ARE TIMES WE UNAWARE OF SOME CUTS IN OUT MOUTH..  AM I INFECTED?
Will await your reverts

Many Thanks & Regards

Answer
Dear Mohit:

Peace upon you.  Thank you for taking the time to write.  

HIV is not easily transmitted - it requires sufficient amount of virus in a sufficient amount of the blood, semen, vaginal secretions in such a contact as to be able to infect.  The route of exposure is also important - a small amount of the fluid is horribly dangerous if injected into a vein; the same amount over intact skin or mucous membranes such as the inside of your mouth is less dangerous.   The action of mucous in your mouth (or elsewhere) is to trap some of the things that can make us sick (pathogens, germs) and keep them from entering our bloodstream.  In your mouth, the saliva breaks down proteins and is somewhat helpful in protecting you from a virus, but not 100$ protection.  There are some studies which suggest that oral sex can transmit HIV - though the risk is lower than injection, intercourse, or some other behaviors (see www.avert.org for more information).

To summarize, the fluid to which you were exposed is potentially infectious for HIV if from a person with HIV.  As you do not know the status of the person, you could assume positive, then ask the questions - to how much of these fluids was I exposed?  And... where and how did my exposure occur?  If you look at your answers, I think you find your risk is small from your hand exposure, and nil from your sandwich.  

The only way to know if you are infected is through an HIV test - and frankly, I don't see a significant risk in anything you describe.

I hope this helps, if you have access to voluntary counseling and testing, please feel free to be tested for your own peace of mind; I don't see any need based on what you explained.

Again, best to you and  yours,

Terry