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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is HIV AIDS Transmittable Through Physical Contact?

Hello, I am a family physician. Today I saw a HIV patient with a fever and I used a thermometer to measure her temperature. It was just a simple plastic thermometer that goes under the armpit. If the thermometer came into contact with the HIV virus, how long would it last on the plastic of the thermometer? I am worried about using it on other patients.
Mon, 29 Feb 2016
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for posting your question in HCM.
I understand your concern.
You can get or transmit HIV only through specific activities. Most commonly, people get or transmit HIV through sexual behaviors and needle/syringe use.
Certain body fluids from a person who has HIV can transmit HIV include:
(a) Blood
(b) Semen and Pre-seminal fluid
(c) Rectal fluids
(d) Vaginal fluids
(e) Breast milk
These body fluids must come into contact with a mucous membrane as found inside the rectum, vagina, penis, and mouth or damaged tissue like cuts or wounds on the skin or be directly injected into your bloodstream (by a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur.
HIV does not survive long outside the human body (such as on surfaces) and it cannot reproduce outside a human host. It is not spread by:
(a) Air or water
(b) Mosquitoes, ticks or other insects
(c) Saliva, tears, or sweat that is not mixed with the blood of an HIV-positive person
(d) Shaking hands, hugging, sharing toilets, sharing dishes/drinking glasses, or closed-mouth or “social” kissing with someone who is HIV-positive
(e) Other sexual activities that don’t involve the exchange of body fluids like touching.
Hence, in your case, you need not be worried about HIV/AIDS contact as such physical contact does not spread the virus. But, while using on other patients, you can clean it with antiseptic solution like Dettol or Savlon and use it.
Hope the information provided would be helpful.
All the best.
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Is HIV AIDS Transmittable Through Physical Contact?

Hi, Thanks for posting your question in HCM. I understand your concern. You can get or transmit HIV only through specific activities. Most commonly, people get or transmit HIV through sexual behaviors and needle/syringe use. Certain body fluids from a person who has HIV can transmit HIV include: (a) Blood (b) Semen and Pre-seminal fluid (c) Rectal fluids (d) Vaginal fluids (e) Breast milk These body fluids must come into contact with a mucous membrane as found inside the rectum, vagina, penis, and mouth or damaged tissue like cuts or wounds on the skin or be directly injected into your bloodstream (by a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur. HIV does not survive long outside the human body (such as on surfaces) and it cannot reproduce outside a human host. It is not spread by: (a) Air or water (b) Mosquitoes, ticks or other insects (c) Saliva, tears, or sweat that is not mixed with the blood of an HIV-positive person (d) Shaking hands, hugging, sharing toilets, sharing dishes/drinking glasses, or closed-mouth or “social” kissing with someone who is HIV-positive (e) Other sexual activities that don’t involve the exchange of body fluids like touching. Hence, in your case, you need not be worried about HIV/AIDS contact as such physical contact does not spread the virus. But, while using on other patients, you can clean it with antiseptic solution like Dettol or Savlon and use it. Hope the information provided would be helpful. All the best.