Brief Answer: If infection present, will need antibiotics Detailed Answer: Hi Thanks for posting your query on HealthcareMagic. Mostly a minor scratch from human nails does not transmit infection. If the nail is dug deep into the skin then there are chances of getting an infection. One thing is to make sure that your tetanus immunization is upto date. Secondly it is advisable to clean the area with antiseptic cream after washing with soap and water. The antiseptic cream may be polysporin. Next is to assess if the penetration of the nails was deep into skin or superficial. If the skin is broken or if you can see a blood clot or the redness seem to be spreading then you may be the right candidate for antibiotics. I would usually prescribe trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or ciprofloxacin for 3 days. Hope it helps. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: You need to check the marks Detailed Answer: Hi again If the skin is broken then you will be able to pull the edges of the marks apart. You can ask someone to check it for you. It will not transmit HIV. Mostly if you are doing fine and the marks are healing well then you do not need antibiotics. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: Waiting for your photos Detailed Answer: Hi You have an option to upload photograph from your dashboard. You can also send your photographs to YYYY@YYYY and address it to my name: Dr Vaishalee Punj I will be better able to answer your query once I see your photos Also HIV would only transmit if he is HIV positive, he has blood oozing from his nails, his blood comes in contact with your blood. Thus chances of HIV transmission are negligible. HIV cannot survive outside blood for more than a few seconds. Hope this helps. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: HIV transmission negligible Detailed Answer: Hi again I have seen your photo and at one place the nail has cut your skin. Some blood clot is also seen at two places. But it does not seem to be infected, rather it seems to be healing. Regarding HIV, only the nail got dug into your skin. The wound is not big. The clots are also not big. Just the nail seems to have scratched and no skin to skin contact. His blood should come in contact with your blood to tansmit infection. Thus no chance of you getting HIV from this scratch. You do not even need HIV ELISA test to rule it out. In research also it has been shown that nail scratches do not contain blood pathogens including HIV. Rather local colonization of nails from skin pathogens is common and these pathogens may enter blood causing blood infection. In such a case antibiotics are needed. Hope it helps. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: Some bacteria and fungi Detailed Answer: Hi Some bacteria like streptococci and some fungi may be transmitted. But your wounds are not bad. This mild nail scratch is commonly seen in kids (2 - 4 yr olds) and we do not even bother if they will get infected bad enough to start antibiotics. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: Itching can be some allergy Detailed Answer: Hi Regarding your earlier question, I meant mild scratches are not worrisome. Kids scratch each other all the time while playing. It is better to avoid them from happening, but if scratches happen, mild ones can be ignored. Where exactly is the black and blue happening? Is it the scratches turning blue or is it somewhere else. Regarding itching, it can either result from allergy to some medicine etc or it is due to histamines being released from your healing wounds. If it is bad, you may take tab cetirizine one to two times a day (as needed). Nothing to worry about itching Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: It seems like urticaria Detailed Answer: Hi The itching and the bluish discoloration (coming and going) seem to be part of urticaria. Gland like neck may just be the healing of the wounds. Is this gland like feeling only over the wounds or is it spreading? Is it red? Do you have fever or chills with it? Can you describe it in detail? Actually it is time that you visit a physician for examination. Dr Vaishalee

---

Brief Answer: Urticaria is a type of allergy Detailed Answer: Hi again Your query is not clear. It is always better to upload a photograph whenever you are asking a query related to skin problems. Your description correlates either with urticaria in which antiallergic can be taken. Or it may correlate with some bleeding tendency. It can also be mastocytosis. Thus visit a physician, preferably a dermatologist to get the exact diagnosis. If your physician is in some doubt, he may do a biopsy on one of the lesions which will help find the exact diagnosis. Hope it helps. Take care. Dr Vaishalee

---