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Can HIV Be Contracted From Handling Used Needles With Blood?

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Posted on Sat, 23 Dec 2017
Question: My LO is 6 months old & at the docs she was touching the bin where they put used needles. I then noticed she had blood on her hands, face & mouth. I could see inside the bin and one of the needles had blood all over it and inside the needle. Im freaking out because that blood was all over the bin. My husband was holding my baby girl and not paying attention to what she was doing. Is she at risk of getting HIV if the needle or blood was infected? Im freaking out quite a bit!
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Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Depends on whether she penetrated her skin with the needles from the bin

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on Healthcaremagic.

I have gone carefully through the question. The first thing that I need to ask is how the blood come over her face, hands and mouth. I mean to ask whether it was her own blood and where did it come from. The next thing is whether you see any price marks on her hands and fingers that could have been inflicted had she tried to pick the needed. I am not talking about the needed marks from drawing her blood. If she does not show extra need ke marks, you need not worry. But if she had penetrated her skin with the needles from the bin, the risk of HIV remains.

Brief Answer:
Further information needed

Detailed Answer:
That she did not get pricked by needles from the bin is reassuring. However, wash her face and hands and see if there are puncture wounds anywhere else. If not, you can rest assured that HIV does not get transmitted through intact skin or through oral route. If she did not get pricked, she would not have chances of getting HIV and there is no reason to worry.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (12 minutes later)
She didot touch the needle from the bin. The needle was insode the bin. There was blood from the needle on the outside of the bin where she touched and then went ahead and put her hands in her mouth. She had blood in her mouth from touching the bin if hat makes sense
Answered by
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Dr. Diptanshu Das

Pediatrician

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 3875 Questions

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Can HIV Be Contracted From Handling Used Needles With Blood?

Brief Answer: Depends on whether she penetrated her skin with the needles from the bin Detailed Answer: Thanks for asking on Healthcaremagic. I have gone carefully through the question. The first thing that I need to ask is how the blood come over her face, hands and mouth. I mean to ask whether it was her own blood and where did it come from. The next thing is whether you see any price marks on her hands and fingers that could have been inflicted had she tried to pick the needed. I am not talking about the needed marks from drawing her blood. If she does not show extra need ke marks, you need not worry. But if she had penetrated her skin with the needles from the bin, the risk of HIV remains. Brief Answer: Further information needed Detailed Answer: That she did not get pricked by needles from the bin is reassuring. However, wash her face and hands and see if there are puncture wounds anywhere else. If not, you can rest assured that HIV does not get transmitted through intact skin or through oral route. If she did not get pricked, she would not have chances of getting HIV and there is no reason to worry.