Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 5/2/2007

Question
A couple of days back when I was shopping in the Mall, I was going through some Men's folded shirts, some sharp thing scratched my palm. I belive its the pins they put in folded shirts.
It made a scratch of about 1 inch and just at the beginging of scratch I bleeded about a drop of blood.
As there were many people in that shop and if the same pin would have scratched or pinched somebody else who is HIV +ve, then what is the chance that HIV will be transmitted that way?

In general when scratched or pinched by sharp objects in public places, what precaution should be taken?
Would pressing the scratched part hard to let more blood out reduce the chance of Virus entering the blood stream?  

Answer
If that exact pin had scratched someone with HIV and that pin also held a significant amount of blood on it, and that pin scratched you in a way that would allow that significant amount of blood to enter your body, then yes, transmission is possible. How likely is that? Not likely AT ALL.

When scratched or pinched etc just wash the area, use some neosporin and a band aid.