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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Are The Chances Of Contracting HIV Or Hepatitis By Only Touching A Syringe?

I found a syringe in my housing estate . fearing children may pick it up i Picked it up and brought it home and disguarded it in a bin at the back of my house. When I picked it up I was wearing gloves made of wool or some synthetic material. After I took off my gloves I washed my hands with hand soap. Later I put my gloves on and went to my brothers to return his cell phone which he left at my house. I had not washed the gloves after picking up the syringe (theatre was blood in the syringe but I m not sure if there was blood on the outside) I am worried that my brothers phone might be contaminated with HIV, hepatitis or something else and that he or his wife and young family are at risk from. I also left my unwashed gloves on their counter top and after taking off my gloves handled his cell phone and touched things in their home. Also I discarded the syringe into my normal household waste bin , is this ok? Will it pose risk after the waste bin is emptied at the refuse/bin centre? Considering all I wrote, is there any risk of anything? Please advise me what to do.
Fri, 17 Jan 2014
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HIV AIDS Specialist 's  Response
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Only the needle prick carries risk and not touching the syringe with a gloved hands even it was having blood stain. HIV and Hepatitis can not be transmitted through a contaminated glove and through inanimate objects like Cell phone. HIV and Hepatitis virus can not live outside body fluids and in dry stains of blood and cannot withstand atmospheric oxygen, temperature, dryness etc.
So nothing to worry and erase these ideas from your mind.
Dr S.Murugan
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What Are The Chances Of Contracting HIV Or Hepatitis By Only Touching A Syringe?

Hi, Welcome to HCM. Only the needle prick carries risk and not touching the syringe with a gloved hands even it was having blood stain. HIV and Hepatitis can not be transmitted through a contaminated glove and through inanimate objects like Cell phone. HIV and Hepatitis virus can not live outside body fluids and in dry stains of blood and cannot withstand atmospheric oxygen, temperature, dryness etc. So nothing to worry and erase these ideas from your mind. Dr S.Murugan