Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 3/25/2004

Question
I have become very paranoid about HIV very recently.  Last Monday, I obtained a cut in my right pointer finger knuckle at my store.  I am not so sure where it came from but I must have gotten it from our customer card file because the box was a bit sharp and hard.  Anyway, I didn't notice that blood was oozing out (so it became an open wound already without me realizing it since I got busy) that when I glanced at my left hand, I was even surprised to see blood there.  I think my left hand lightly touched my right pointer finger knuckle which was bleeding.  By the time I realized it, I had already retrieved a ballpen from some customers.  Now is it possible for me to get HIV that way since I did not know the health status of the customers and who knows, their contaminated blood may have oozed onto the ballpen, thus, contaminating my open wound?   Aargh, it's driving me crazy!  Then I washed my hands in our sink and wiped my bleeding knuckle on our towel then I remembered that other customers may have used our towel and they may have open wounds as well.  Help!

Paranoid Suzy

Answer
I have already answered this question: no, HIV is not transmitted in that way. If blood oozed onto the pen, you would have seen it-it would have been wet with blood. If that were the case, transmission could be possible, but the likelihood very small.