Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Los Angeles
Hiv From Environmental Surfaces? Posted: 03-01-06 00:29am
Hey about two weeks ago I went to the
emergency room for an eye problem. The
eye problem went away. When I was being
discharged from the room the nurse handed
me a pen upside down and because of my
blurry vision I thought it was
retractable; before I knew it I realized
that my thumb had pushed down on the tip
of the pen. It was really red but no
blood came out, it seemed as though some
of the ink had seeped under my skin. Then
the nurse said to me "oh that happens to
everyone". Thats when I freaked out. I
went back and she told me that it had only
happen to her daughter at home with a red
pen. She told me I didn't have anything
to worry about because you can't get hiv
from environmental surfaces. Could I have
been exposed to hiv eventhough the prick
didn't cause bleeding and there was no
visible blood on the actual pen to my
knowledge?
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kiklis2k
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 88
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
to the Extra Worried Person Posted: 03-01-06 00:52am
I think we have to be more logical and
practical while analysing the problem.
Foremost, the virus stays outside the body
alive for not more than 45 seconds. An
infection through a pen tip cannot happen
within 45 seconds after it pricked another
person.
Health consultant have to be careful while
using needles as the chances of getting
pricked after being used on a person could
be considerably high. However, the
chances are lowered due to proper handling
and disposable needles.
So, in your case, the chances are
negative, and you need not worry to this
extent. In day to day life, we even cut
ourselves with knives and sharper objects
while working. But we dont have to take
these incidents to our brain and spoil our
day.
