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What Are The Chances Of HIV Transmission Through Contaminated Water Entering Eyes?

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Posted on Mon, 13 Apr 2015
Question: Sir, Today I was driving my bike in a market where a shopkeeper was cleaning the corridor of his shop with water and some drop fell on my eyes while I was passing in front of his shop. Don’t know why suddenly a thing came to my mind that if he was cleaning any blood or any other fluid which may contain HIV virus then it can be infected to me. Sir is it possible that HIV can be infected to me for this incident ? Please help me. I am much worried.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (52 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
There is no chance of getting HIV by the water droplet entering eyes

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
It is difficult to get HIV from the incident which happened today. There has been no case of infection by AIDS virus through contaminated water entering eyes.

The HIV virus cannot sustain itself in other media except blood and body fluids for a long time. It is impossible for the man cleaning his shop to have water that contains high concentration of HIV causing organism.

I suggest you stop thinking of the incident and thoughts about getting HIV by water droplet entering your eyes.

Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (5 minutes later)
Thanks sir. Sir I am just interested to know for how much of time HIV can live in the body fluids out side the Human body ??? Is there any chance of infection from those body fluids of HIV affected person out side the human body ??? If any person comes in touch of the body fluid of affected person out side the body of the affected man , can he/she be infected with HIV ???
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (54 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
HIV virus gets destroyed in atmosphere within seconds to minutes

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

HIV virus is destroyed in air withing 10 seconds. Outside the body it can be kept alive under laboratory conditions but in the atmosphere it gets destroyed in few minutes as the fluids dry.

There is a viral load and the virus should be deposited in sufficient amount and the virus should remain alive. Also there should be a cut in the skin to allow the virus to enter. In the absence of these there will be no infection.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Vivek Chail

Radiologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 6874 Questions

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What Are The Chances Of HIV Transmission Through Contaminated Water Entering Eyes?

Brief Answer: There is no chance of getting HIV by the water droplet entering eyes Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXXX, Thanks for writing in to us. I have read through your query in detail. It is difficult to get HIV from the incident which happened today. There has been no case of infection by AIDS virus through contaminated water entering eyes. The HIV virus cannot sustain itself in other media except blood and body fluids for a long time. It is impossible for the man cleaning his shop to have water that contains high concentration of HIV causing organism. I suggest you stop thinking of the incident and thoughts about getting HIV by water droplet entering your eyes. Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements. Hope your query is answered. Do write back if you have any doubts. Regards, Dr.Vivek