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Hi Doctor, First Of All, Thank You For Noting My
Question: Hi doctor,
First of all, thank you for noting my concern and I want to ask for your opinion on my risk based on what I would describe in the following details.
Last Saturday night I was walking on the street of Munich and stepping on fresh blood (I suppose because I saw a small pool of blood on the right side of the street and that my shoe sole has some red/orange strain. )
However, on Friday, I got a cut on hang nail, which bleeds accumulatively and stop bleeding ( few minutes). So I wear the plaster before taking shoes off. I did step my shoes on water just to wet them.
Last night, I was taking my shoes out. With plaster on index finger, the taking off results in my middle finger touching the side sole. I don't know if I touched the blood strain or not. I cannot notice clearly and there was no wet contamination. I was still wearing plaster.
Then I wash the tip of finger with body soap and then wash the whole hands. The plaster is water proof but still it would be wet when you washed your hand. After that I apply alcohol and done.
I can't help my inner anxiety reaching out about fear of contracting HIV, HBV, HCV, HTLV, Syphilis, Chagas disease and other blood bourne pathogen. Would there be risk for these events that I have described? Could the infection comes from touching of intact skin or water with disease reaching the dried wound under the plaster when washing the hand? I feel like this is scary how I just experienced this event few months ago.
First of all, thank you for noting my concern and I want to ask for your opinion on my risk based on what I would describe in the following details.
Last Saturday night I was walking on the street of Munich and stepping on fresh blood (I suppose because I saw a small pool of blood on the right side of the street and that my shoe sole has some red/orange strain. )
However, on Friday, I got a cut on hang nail, which bleeds accumulatively and stop bleeding ( few minutes). So I wear the plaster before taking shoes off. I did step my shoes on water just to wet them.
Last night, I was taking my shoes out. With plaster on index finger, the taking off results in my middle finger touching the side sole. I don't know if I touched the blood strain or not. I cannot notice clearly and there was no wet contamination. I was still wearing plaster.
Then I wash the tip of finger with body soap and then wash the whole hands. The plaster is water proof but still it would be wet when you washed your hand. After that I apply alcohol and done.
I can't help my inner anxiety reaching out about fear of contracting HIV, HBV, HCV, HTLV, Syphilis, Chagas disease and other blood bourne pathogen. Would there be risk for these events that I have described? Could the infection comes from touching of intact skin or water with disease reaching the dried wound under the plaster when washing the hand? I feel like this is scary how I just experienced this event few months ago.
Brief Answer:
You are safe. No risk of hepatitis or HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to ask a doctor service. I have gone through your query and noted your concern.
There is no risk of infection except a common bacterial skin infection commonly caused by staphylococcus which might contaminate a cut leading to pus or oozing from the wound. None of the Hepatitis (B, C) or HIV or HTLV is transmitted through a minor skin cut or abrasion. These are transmitted through either unprotected sex or sharing infected needles e.g in injection drug users or from mother to child through placenta whereas Chagas disease is transmitted by the bite of a bug.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you need any more assistance.
You are safe. No risk of hepatitis or HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to ask a doctor service. I have gone through your query and noted your concern.
There is no risk of infection except a common bacterial skin infection commonly caused by staphylococcus which might contaminate a cut leading to pus or oozing from the wound. None of the Hepatitis (B, C) or HIV or HTLV is transmitted through a minor skin cut or abrasion. These are transmitted through either unprotected sex or sharing infected needles e.g in injection drug users or from mother to child through placenta whereas Chagas disease is transmitted by the bite of a bug.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you need any more assistance.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Thank you doctor. Your opinion is greatly appreciated.
Brief Answer:
Thank you for writing to us
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
Take care.
Thank you for writing to us
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
Take care.
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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