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Will My Baby Be Affected With HIV Through A Touch?

Posted on Tue, 14 Jan 2014

Question: This question is in relation to hiv transmission. I have a young daughter and as we were shopping, she dropped her dummy on the ground so I then went to the public toilet to wash it. I then used my Hand to dry the dummy then gave it to her. My worry is that when I cleaned her dummy with my hand, I also closed the tap in the toilet using the same hand. Now if there was hiv positive blood or semen on the tap in public toilet , will this harm my daughter or is she at risk of getting hiv in this way as I used my hand to dry her dummy which I used to to close the tap. This has got me very worried.

Answered by Dr. Rhea Chanda (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Not transmitted by touching Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX, HIV is only transmitted by blood or other bodily fluids from person to person, either by direct contact or broken skin. If there was no broken skin on your hand, which you used to touch the tap and dry the dummy, then transmission of virus is not an issue. Also HIV virus doesnt survive for long in the atmosphere. I think your daughter is safe. Keep a hand sanitizer on you for such use in the future.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rhea Chanda (11 minutes later)

If I touched the tap which contained blood or semen , then dried it with same hand and she then put in her mouth, could this cause hiv? I couldn't recall any blood or semen being on the tap, I am just assuming if there was any

Answered by Dr. Rhea Chanda (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Low chance Detailed Answer: Well, if she put it in her mouth, then there may be a slight chance. But as i said, the virus doesnt survive outside the body. If it had been on the tap, it would have been exposed for a long time, and it wouldnt have survived. Hence chances are very very low.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rhea Chanda (10 minutes later)

So is there any need for testing ??

Answered by Dr. Rhea Chanda (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Peace of mind Detailed Answer: I dont believe so. But you can wish for testing for your own peace of mind. I dont think its necessary. The window period is between 2 weeks and 6 months. It would be best to do it outside the window period. Other tests are available which can be done sooner. But are expensive.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar