Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 5/3/2007

Question
QUESTION: I had a small fester on my finger at the edge of my nail on my index finger,there was a little red swelling with with a small slice no bigger that a paper cut,the skin was very thick but no sign of blood, Through fingering  a girl is there a chance of catching HIV?
ANSWER: If infected vaginal fluid entered your body through an opening in the skin, then yes, it is possible. Unlikely though.

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QUESTION: thank you for the quick reply but how,and why is it unlikely?

Answer
Unlikely because it is not a usual route of infection. Usual routes are unprotected sex, sharing needles and from mother to child. That is because those activities put the infected fluid (blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk) directly into the body of someone else- which is how transmission occurs. What you describe does not put the infected fluid into the body but leaves an opening where it could enter which is not as likely but I cannot say it's impossible.