Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can Babies Contract Hepatitis B, C And HIV From Placing A Bleeding Finger In The Mouth?
Question: Dear Doctor,
Im writing this with worry about my 9 months old baby getiing transmitted with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C & HIV if a fresh blood which was ingested in the babies mouth by putting cut finger in the babies mouth which is bleeding.
Below is the incident in details which i worry for
One day when i was returning from office i saw the lady who is living in my apartment considered to be risky for having STD was feeding something through her index finger for my baby in my babies mouth. After that incident i asked my wife what the lady is feeding the baby and my wife said she was feeding a small piece of sweet into the babies mouth.
My worry is if the lady has fresh bleeding cut while feeding my baby and if few drops has gone into my babies mouth will Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or any other STD may transmit?
Im worried if one or two drops exposed through mouth and it goes to stomach through Gaestro Intestinal Tract. Does my baby Mouth and Gaestro Intestinal Tract is Strong enough to protect the virus entering the blood stream at 9 months of age? She was born 20 days before the actual date.
Transmission possibility if yes or no please give me your detailed explanation. Im very anxious after the incident. I couldn't forget and its disturbing my life.
Im writing this with worry about my 9 months old baby getiing transmitted with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C & HIV if a fresh blood which was ingested in the babies mouth by putting cut finger in the babies mouth which is bleeding.
Below is the incident in details which i worry for
One day when i was returning from office i saw the lady who is living in my apartment considered to be risky for having STD was feeding something through her index finger for my baby in my babies mouth. After that incident i asked my wife what the lady is feeding the baby and my wife said she was feeding a small piece of sweet into the babies mouth.
My worry is if the lady has fresh bleeding cut while feeding my baby and if few drops has gone into my babies mouth will Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or any other STD may transmit?
Im worried if one or two drops exposed through mouth and it goes to stomach through Gaestro Intestinal Tract. Does my baby Mouth and Gaestro Intestinal Tract is Strong enough to protect the virus entering the blood stream at 9 months of age? She was born 20 days before the actual date.
Transmission possibility if yes or no please give me your detailed explanation. Im very anxious after the incident. I couldn't forget and its disturbing my life.
Brief Answer:
Your baby is not at the risk of transmission - don't worry
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Hepatitis C, B and HIV will not be transmitted like this as it is not a viable route of transmission.
The virus would be killed in the stomach due to the gastric acidity.
You need not be worried about this at all.
The extreme possibility is that your baby's mouth having cuts which are bleeding and the lady's finger is also oozing continuous blood and both of them getting at mixed, then there is a theoretical risk of these viral diseases getting transmitted.
I have just explained to you about a hypothetical scenario which is not possible at all.
You and I both know that the baby's mouth will not be continuously bleeding as you would have observed it and also a lady's finger cannot bleed continuously like that into the baby's mouth.
So you can hundred percent be rested assured that your baby is not at the risk of getting these diseases.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Your baby is not at the risk of transmission - don't worry
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Hepatitis C, B and HIV will not be transmitted like this as it is not a viable route of transmission.
The virus would be killed in the stomach due to the gastric acidity.
You need not be worried about this at all.
The extreme possibility is that your baby's mouth having cuts which are bleeding and the lady's finger is also oozing continuous blood and both of them getting at mixed, then there is a theoretical risk of these viral diseases getting transmitted.
I have just explained to you about a hypothetical scenario which is not possible at all.
You and I both know that the baby's mouth will not be continuously bleeding as you would have observed it and also a lady's finger cannot bleed continuously like that into the baby's mouth.
So you can hundred percent be rested assured that your baby is not at the risk of getting these diseases.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Dear Doctor,
Thank you very much for your kind information.
I understand that when it goes to the stomach, the stomach acid will kill the virus.
Please answer for my below concerns
1) Does my 9 months baby is gorwn enough and she produces stomach acid to kill the virus?
2) I read that Gaestro Intestinal Tract of babies are not mature enough untill certain months of birth. If it is not mature the virus can contact blood stream through Gaestro Intestinal Tract.
Is my 9 months baby has matured Gaestro Intestinal tract?
Thank you once again for your great help.
Thank you very much for your kind information.
I understand that when it goes to the stomach, the stomach acid will kill the virus.
Please answer for my below concerns
1) Does my 9 months baby is gorwn enough and she produces stomach acid to kill the virus?
2) I read that Gaestro Intestinal Tract of babies are not mature enough untill certain months of birth. If it is not mature the virus can contact blood stream through Gaestro Intestinal Tract.
Is my 9 months baby has matured Gaestro Intestinal tract?
Thank you once again for your great help.
Brief Answer:
Your baby's gut will be mature enough - dont worry
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Your baby's gut will be mature enough to deal with the virus - don't worry, please.
I wish your kid a bright future. If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Your baby's gut will be mature enough - dont worry
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Your baby's gut will be mature enough to deal with the virus - don't worry, please.
I wish your kid a bright future. If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Doctor,
Thank you very much for your information and your kind help.
1) How long does the GUT takes to mature after birth.
2) Does formula feeding (Powder Milk) changes the GUT maturity development time?
Definitely i will visit you in your Clinic. Im from XXXXXXX
If you could share your contact that will be helpful too.
Thank you very much for your information and your kind help.
1) How long does the GUT takes to mature after birth.
2) Does formula feeding (Powder Milk) changes the GUT maturity development time?
Definitely i will visit you in your Clinic. Im from XXXXXXX
If you could share your contact that will be helpful too.
Brief Answer:
Soon after birth please
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Usually, the baby's gut is mature enough to digest the mother's milk and infectious organisms like this as soon after birth.
Moreover, there are maternal or mother's antibodies which would be transferred from the mother before birth to counter the infections.
Breastfeeding gives the best advantage for the infant as it contains antibodies. Formula feeding does not contain any antibodies at all please.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Soon after birth please
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Usually, the baby's gut is mature enough to digest the mother's milk and infectious organisms like this as soon after birth.
Moreover, there are maternal or mother's antibodies which would be transferred from the mother before birth to counter the infections.
Breastfeeding gives the best advantage for the infant as it contains antibodies. Formula feeding does not contain any antibodies at all please.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Doctor,
Thanks for your valuable reply.
My questions are always to relieve my anxiety only please dont mistake me.
You said that baby's gut is mature enough to digest infectious organisms like HIV or Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C once it is born.
As you know very well that HIV or Hepatitis B infected mothers are requested not to breast feed their babies because the babies will get the disease from mother because of the babies GUT is not well matured for few months of birth.
Im sorry to ask you these questions but its all to releive my anxiety.
In which department of the Hospital i can reach you sir.
Thanks for your valuable reply.
My questions are always to relieve my anxiety only please dont mistake me.
You said that baby's gut is mature enough to digest infectious organisms like HIV or Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C once it is born.
As you know very well that HIV or Hepatitis B infected mothers are requested not to breast feed their babies because the babies will get the disease from mother because of the babies GUT is not well matured for few months of birth.
Im sorry to ask you these questions but its all to releive my anxiety.
In which department of the Hospital i can reach you sir.
Brief Answer:
Suggestions on viral infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I am not telling about the mothers being positive. It is from the breast milk that the babies get antibodies, but even HIV mothers are suggested to feed the baby according to WHO recommendations.
Only Hepatitis B positive mothers are not allowed to feed their babies.
But again milk is a continuous secretion which flows from the breast into the baby's stomach and so much of blood from that particular lady's finger would not have gone into the baby's mouth like continuous blood going into the baby's mouth.
In this scenario organism load would have been very very minimal, so I reassured you that way.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Suggestions on viral infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I am not telling about the mothers being positive. It is from the breast milk that the babies get antibodies, but even HIV mothers are suggested to feed the baby according to WHO recommendations.
Only Hepatitis B positive mothers are not allowed to feed their babies.
But again milk is a continuous secretion which flows from the breast into the baby's stomach and so much of blood from that particular lady's finger would not have gone into the baby's mouth like continuous blood going into the baby's mouth.
In this scenario organism load would have been very very minimal, so I reassured you that way.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Sumanth Amperayani, Pediatrician, Pulmonology
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
