Expert: John Thai, M.D. - 11/8/2007

Question
QUESTION: Ok....  last week I was cut by a dirty dental instrument (hyg. scaler) that had been placed in the ultrasonic (which contained h2o and an enzyme tablet that had been sitting there for quite a few days), then rinsed with water.  I did not handle this instrument until it was on a cloth waiting to be put into a bag for the autoclave (Cleaner) I had gloves on, but cut myself in haste.  Now, I'm not necessarily concerned about the person who had last had this instrument in their mouth.  I'm worried because two days prior we had an AIDS patient in whose instruments had soaked in that same bath (ultrasonic).  My question is.....could HIV survive and "attach" itself to these new instruments and then infect me?  I have been told that my chances are next to zero, but nobody seems to be able to tell me if the HIV could survive in that bath?  I'm 18 weeks pregnant and desperately trying not to lose my mind over this!!!  Thank you for any info.  K.

ANSWER: hi Kat,

HIV cannot survive without a host over 24 hours and will die in a hypertonic solution.

Regards,

John Thai, M.D.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the quick answer.  So, are you saying, I should be ok?  And what is hypertonic?  Water?

Answer
I can never advise you that you are not at risk for HIV or any diseases. Although your risks are minimal to none, the only way to determine if you were not infected is by having an HIV test done 3 months from the date of the problem.

Hypertonic means the host cell with the virus has a lower concentration of solute (substance) than the surrounding environment it is in.

Regards,

John Thai, MD