saliva droplet hit my eye

[mike81]

I was talking with my colleague of unknown HIV status and I felt a saliva droplet of his hit my eye on 7/3. Since eye is mucus membrane, I think I might have contracted with HIV virus. The followings are my questions:

1. Am I in the risk for being infected with HIV?
2. Do I need to take PEP (still under 72 hour window)?
3. Do I need to be tested in 3 month for HIV?

Thank you for your responses.

[RapidRod]

1. No
2. No
3. No.

[Ann]

Mike,

1. Absolutely NOT. Not only is saliva not infectious, but it also contains over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv and render it unable to infect.

2. Absolutely NOT. You do NOT need PEP over a NO RISK spitting incident.

3. You only need to test if you are a sexually active adult who has never tested. You do NOT need to test because you got spit in your eye.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST BECAUSE SOMEONE SPIT IN YOUR EYE, anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

Ann

[mike81]

Thank you, Ann and RapidRod for your quick responses.

I was worry about that droplets might contain blood. Since the blood has high concentration of virus, does this make difference in your answers?

Thanks.

[RapidRod]

No it does not change a thing. Saliva is not infectious and contains over a dozen different enzymes and proteins that inhibits HIV transmission.

[Ann]

Mike,

There has never been a documented case of hiv transmission due to blood in the eye. Not even in a medical setting where a health worker has been sprayed directly in the face with pure blood.

This spit in the eye thing shows you have a lot to learn about hiv. Make sure you read the Transmission Lesson linked to in this forum's Welcome Thread.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE!!!

Ann

[mike81]

Thank you to both of you, RapidRod and Ann

Your answers put my anxiety at ease. As Ann suggested, I will spent sometime to read the HIV Transmission Lesson in your website to educate myself about this topic.

Thank you again.

[mike81]

After reading the HIV Transmission Lesson, please advise me whether my situation is a "theoretical risk" or "no risk" ? Should I refrain from intimacy relationship with my wife so I will not pass the virus to her in case this a "theoretical risk" situation?

Thanks.

[Andy Velez]

Mike,

There has never been a documented case of hiv transmission due to blood in the eye. Not even in a medical setting where a health worker has been sprayed directly in the face with pure blood.

This spit in the eye thing shows you have a lot to learn about hiv. Make sure you read the Transmission Lesson linked to in this forum's Welcome Thread.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE!!!

Ann

You did not have a risk. There is no sound reason why you cannot have unprotected intercourse with your wife.

You can if you wish get tested strictly for your peace of mind although if you do a negative result is a foregone certainty. There's nothing more we can do for you in this setting.

[mike81]

Thank you Andy for the information.

I think I just need to tell myself repeatedly that the situation was a NO risk situation and to go on my life.

Thanks.