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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can I Get HIV Infection Through Needle Prick?

Hi. A medical student felt a slight drop of the patient's blood enter her eye during a surgery practice. She had to take profilaxes for a month in January 2014. On a follow up check up she thinks the laboratory attendant pricked himself with the needle first before pricking her to get blood for testing. Worried, she has embarked on taking profilaxes this June 2014. All her previous hiv four tests in January and June 2014 have been negative. She is now worried that she might have contracted hiv. Please advise as this is devastating and causing her alot of anxiety and the fear is taking control of her.
Thu, 3 Jul 2014
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Although it is certainly possible to get HIV from a needle prick, I think it is highly unlikely that she gets it. Her tests have been negative. By now they would have been positive from the first exposure if she had actually contracted it. She does not seem clear about whether the lab tech pricked himself before getting the blood. This seems unlikely, but unless he has active HIV in the blood and got a significant amount of his blood on the needle, it is not likely the infection was transmitted. Transmission rates for this type of exposure are very small. She is also taking prophylaxis, which should help any minimal exposure. If she is worried, she could ask the lab tech if he has HIV. If he says no, then that should reduce her anxiety a lot. If even yes, again, this type of exposure is low risk and she should check another HIV test in 3 months to be sure. Hope this helps .
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Can I Get HIV Infection Through Needle Prick?

Although it is certainly possible to get HIV from a needle prick, I think it is highly unlikely that she gets it. Her tests have been negative. By now they would have been positive from the first exposure if she had actually contracted it. She does not seem clear about whether the lab tech pricked himself before getting the blood. This seems unlikely, but unless he has active HIV in the blood and got a significant amount of his blood on the needle, it is not likely the infection was transmitted. Transmission rates for this type of exposure are very small. She is also taking prophylaxis, which should help any minimal exposure. If she is worried, she could ask the lab tech if he has HIV. If he says no, then that should reduce her anxiety a lot. If even yes, again, this type of exposure is low risk and she should check another HIV test in 3 months to be sure. Hope this helps .