Expert: Terry B - 1/2/2007

Question
Thank you for the response.  I did let the grounds manager know of the incident to get it cleaned up.  However, just to ease my mind, if I (or any of the children I work with) touched the areas where I walked....(and then put their hands in their mouth, rubbed their eyes, etc.) is there a need to be concerned about HIV transmission....or would the virus have died from friction of walking, exposre to air, etc.  In other words, if I am not leaving bloody footprints as I am walking, there should be no real concern?
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This is not a follow up to the previous questions, but a new question.  I was entering the medical facility where I work, and noticed a pool of blood with some bandages laying in it.  I am not sure if I stepped in the pool of blood or not....if I did, would there be any need for concern since I wore the shoes into work, and then proceeded to sit on the floor to work with some of the children where I had walked.  In short, is there a risk of HIV transmission from blood that is outside the body, like the puddle of blood in the parking lot?
Thank you for answering.
Em
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Another quick question....I was feeding someone at work, and he spit food that I felt land on (possible enter my eye).  Any risk of HIV transmission via this route?
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Does HIV survive if frozen....I had someone helping me put packages of
frozen meat in the freezer, when he sliced his hand on a cardboard box.  
Do I need to be careful of any of the blood that may have gotten on the
packages placed in the freezer?
Secondly, my toddler son touched some blood on a person's pants.  I did
not see any blood on my son's hand (so the blood may already have been
dried), but then my son proceeded to rub his eyes and put his fingers
in his mouth.  If this person by chance had HIV, would there be any risk
of transmission via this route?
Thank you for all of your help.

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Dear M:

Short answer is that your risk of HIV transmission even if the person were infected is negligible; as is your son's risk of HIV transmission.  Visible blood indicates sufficient amount for transmission - not "seeing it" on his hands is a good indicator that amount was insufficient, and mouth is very unlikely transmission route, as are eyes.

Hope that helps.

Terry
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No risk of HIV.  Have a great new year.  

Terry
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Dear Erin:

Peace and all good things in this New Year.  I worry a bit about where you work - disposal of infectious and hazardous waste is important!  Such things cause a hazard to all.

Regarding your specific question, can HIV exist outside the body; yes, as I noted previously, if cells containing the virus are intact (moist) the virus is potentially infectious.  Blood (and all fluid) dries from the outside inward; such fluids pose a hazard.  

On one hand, the chances of an HIV transmission occurring from the situation you describe seems small - the blood would need be from an infected person, of sufficient amount to pose a danger, and contacted with a portal of entry on the recipient's body - your shoes no doubt protected you.  On the other hand, HIV is not the only blood-bourne pathogen - Hepatitis is more common and more easily transmitted.  

Simply, the presence of medical waste visibly contaminated by bodily fluids poses a danger - and should be brought to the attention of whomever is responsible for cleaning up such messes.  Still, your described exposure is to your clothing, not an opening in your skin or mucous membranes; your personal risk seems small.   

Best for the New Year.

Terry  

Answer
Dear Erin:

Peace.  The chances of HIV transmission are slim to none; the possibility of other blood bourne infections greater but still small.  Bottom line is there is probably nothing that happened, and if so, nothing that can be done at this point.  Sorry not to have a definitive answer, but speculation is about all we can do at this point.

Terry