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Can HIV Virus Survive In Dried Blood?

Posted on Tue, 29 Mar 2016

Question: does hiv lives in dried blood ? i have read that it can live for 5 days does they mean closed environemt not exposed to oxygen ? Does it stay effective and causes hiv infection ? And how old is of a wound or cut to pose a risk ?

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
HIV can survive in Dried blood .

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for query. I am Dr Bharatesh D Basti answering your query.
Welcome back to health care magic. I have gone through the details.

HIV does not survive in environment for more than few minutes .But there are reports of HIV surviving in dried blood for 5 -7days .But the possibility of transmission of HIV through dried blood is not well documented. There are other factors like viral load,acidity,temperature,sunlight etc which can play a role.

Open bleeding Wound or ulcers is a mode of entry of HIV.Wound/cut gets closed or Scab will be formed within few minutes.Healed wounds or wounds with scab do not transmit HIV.

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti
Dermatologist and venereolgist

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

Follow up: Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (2 minutes later)

Does dried blood live in open air on a plastic

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Few minutes.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for follow up query.

Dried blood will not be in air or on a plastic unless expelled from source.The chances of survival of HIV in blood in open air or on a surface like plastic is not more than few minutes.It gets exposed to drying,sunlight ,other environmental factors.

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti

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

Follow up: Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (38 minutes later)

Am safe right ? I touched maybe vaginal or semen liquied that is dried on a plastic my hand had old scar not open wound

Thank you in advance

Please reply

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
No risk of transmission of HIV.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for follow up query.

I do not see any risk of transmission of HIV by the modes mentioned.
You are safe.You need not worry about HIV.

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti

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

Follow up: Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (23 minutes later)

Even in a open wound and dried blood or semen poses no risk right ?

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes.There is no risk.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for follow up query.

Yes.HIV is not transmitted even if open wound comes in contact with dried blood or semen .

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti

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

Follow up: Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (11 minutes later)

Same applies to vaginal liquid right ?

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for follow up query.
Yes.Even if vaginal fluid dries up there is no chance of transmission of HIV.
Do not worry. Just relax.

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti

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

Follow up: Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (4 hours later)

One last question ..... Does a pimple allow a passage and hiv to trasmit

Answered by Dr. Bharatesh Devendra Basti (7 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Acne Unlikely to transmit HIV.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thank you for follow up query.

Usually the pimples are intact and they do not transmit HIV.
HIV transmission is possible, If there is a bleeding pimple .But I have not come across such cases.

You can get back for any clarification.
Thank you
Dr Bharatesh D Basti

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