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Author Topic: Blood Contact  (Read 7565 times)

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Offline Mako

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Blood Contact
« on: July 16, 2009, 06:00:36 am »
Having read many of the posts I have an idea what the response will be but given that I couldn't find one that matched exactly and I'm still very nervous here goes.
I had protected sex with a sex worker in mexico a week ago, at the conclusion I withdrew and found that the girl was having her period in no uncertain terms and the condom was covered in blood. My fear is based around a significant gash on my thumb that I had aqquired 4-6 hours previously, this wasn't a neat cut but more of a horizontal slice, it didn't bleed heavily when I did it  but the edges were wide open with exposed tissue. I don't recall whether blood got on the wound but it was on the inside of the thumb which I must of used to hold the condom on withdrawal. I know what the general opinion on here is but have read about health workers getting blood on open wound breaks in skin etc. 
Perhaps I am being stupid but I haven't slept since and would appreciate any advice 

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2009, 06:49:47 am »
You were never at risk.

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2009, 08:35:38 am »
You are worrying needlessly. The important thing is that your penis was covered by the condom. Protected intercourse means just that.

As far as your cut and any other details you may throw in, HIV is not transmitted in that manner, (if it is present), and you have no cause for concern.

There's no need for testing about this incident.

Get on with your life and sleep easily.

Cheers.
Andy Velez

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2009, 08:57:12 am »
Thank you for your replies, I feel much better :)

Having done endless (and mostly probably pointless) web research even what appears to be respected websites suggest there is a risk to health workers via the cut/open skin route, albeit very remote.
Also having read a lot of your very valuable and clearly much needed advice there is a reacurring theme that HIV is fragile outside of the body, could you explain to the uneducated how anyone would be at risk from needles or even scalpels/glass etc and how did the virus survive in blood for transfusions etc.
Please believe I am not going to relentlessly persue this but having read so much (due to fear)including what was clearly a lot of BS I have become very interested.
Lastly thank you for providing non sensationalist sound advice to a lot of very scared people, you have my utmost respect.
 

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2009, 09:10:11 am »
also and I fear I'm starting to sound pedantic this is what another part of this site says:-

 Digital-Anal or Digital-Vaginal Sex
Digital-anal or digital-vaginal sex is the clinical term for "fingering" either the anus or the female genitals (including the vagina). While it is theoretically possible that someone who has an open cut or fresh abrasion on his or her finger or hand can be infected with HIV if coming into contact with blood in the anus or vagina or vaginal secretions, there has never been a documented case of HIV transmission via fingering

of course I understand the meteortite also being possible but it's these statments that are scary. 

Offline Ann

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2009, 09:12:55 am »
Mako,

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in UNPROTECTED INTERCOURSE where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies.

Once hiv finds itself outside the body, small changes in temperature, pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. Blood transfusions are different because the blood is contained inside a sterile bag and at no time is it exposed to the environment.

Hiv can only latch onto and infect a very few, very specific cell types. These cells are NOT found in the upper layers of the skin and therefore aren't going to be present in little cuts on your fingers. (I take it you weren't cut to the bone? Then it's a small cut) The only time you're going to need to worry about cuts is if (for example) you come across a car accident where someone is deeply cut and bleeding profusely. If you try to help them and cut yourself deeply on the wreckage, then get some of their fresh blood into your fresh, deep wound, then you MIGHT become infected. Even then, it's unlikely to happen.

The cells that hiv can infect ARE found inside your anus, inside the lining of your urethra (where you pee/cum from) and on the inside of the foreskin. This is why all you have to do to protect yourself against hiv is USE CONDOMS for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently. It really is that simple!

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 all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST OVER THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT, 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.

Again, use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection - even if the woman is having her period. It really, really is that simple!

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2009, 09:24:21 am »
Thank you Ann, like many on here I seem to need a lot of convincing !


Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2009, 01:54:50 pm »
Did anyone else have any thoughts re the quote from this site or the potential from Needles/Scalps/Glass etc which doesn't seem to fit the criteria indicated.
Thanks for any further insight.

Offline Ann

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2009, 02:03:48 pm »
Mako,

Why not? It says it's a THEORETICAL risk. Theoretically, you could get hit by a meteorite next time you walk outside. Is it going to happen? NO! That quote also says there's never been a documented case of infection via fingering - with or without cuts. That means it hasn't happened in over 25 years of this pandemic and you certainly aren't going to be the first case. No way, no how.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2009, 02:18:16 pm »
why not, I assume a needle or scalpel or broken glass (test tube) wouldn't fulfill the temp/PH etc conditions for the virus to remain viable. I am looking to be educated !

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2009, 02:20:55 pm »
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Offline Ann

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2009, 02:26:33 pm »
Mako,

When you work in an hiv lab where you handle test tubes full of hiv positive blood and ram one into your arm, cutting your arm and becoming drenched in the positive blood, then we'll talk about it. Until then, you're worrying needlessly and making mountains out of molehills. Knock it off already.

Hiv is NOT transmitted through objects in the environment. Hiv is very fragile and is very quickly damaged. When it's damaged, it cannot infect.

The situation you brought to us is a NO RISK situation. You will not become infected with hiv through protected intercourse or getting menstrual blood on a cut finger. It's just not going to happen no matter how much your fevered imagination says otherwise.

If you read the Welcome Thread before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:

Quote
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #12 on: July 16, 2009, 04:07:54 pm »
an interesting forum where questions/discussion is discouraged so quickly. I asked fairy rational questions from an enquiring mind on a subject which judging by the posts on here is of regular concern. The answers paint ludicrous scenarios which bare no resemblence to the frequently quoted healthcare exposure. I have total respect for the experts on here that do a great job and clearly know their subject but possibly a little more discussion or simple tolerance could be allowed before the red warning appears. I notice a slight shortage of patience when there aren't clear answers available.
I apologize for wasting anyones time.
Rod thank you for you original most imformative 4 word reply and subsequent warning, although I missed where it said moderator near your name.
 

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2009, 04:53:10 pm »
Had you read the following like you should have before you ever began posting you would not have recieved a warning.

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2009, 09:27:46 am »
I did read it and read it again, I haven't contravened it, I am not questioning the no risk answer I accept it, I asked some questions by way of explanation to learn something from people who know there subject, you have offered nothing.
When I returned to the US from Mexico before coming to the UK I visited a walk in clinic, the Doctor I saw said there was some risk but very small, akin to a health worker type situation, therefore if a medical person said that, my questions seem reasonable.
Certain questions I asked have not been answered and clearly aren't going to be so I will leave it, what I find hard to believe however is that every case where a health worker has been infected involved a deep (to the bone) wound and vast amounts of blood being poured into it. If the virus cannot infect once outside of the body then no one would be at any risk at all from needles, scalpels etc regardless of the volume of blood The tranfusion/blood product question was clearly addressed.
I admire the people on here who do a great job and offer help and explanation to scared people, on the other hand to warn and dismiss at the first sign of any question, even when questions remain unanswered is poor.     

Offline Ann

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2009, 09:48:59 am »
Mako,

The ONLY health-care related infections that I'm aware of are those involving needle-sticks. A needle-stick incident is not something you're going to have to worry about unless you're in a health-care profession. Needle-stick incidents in a health-care setting are very much like transmission between two injecting drug users. The blood is INSIDE the needle, and therefore protected from the environment. Transmission occurs when this blood is directly and immediately  injected into the other person's bloodstream. And even this is no guarantee that infection is going to occur.

None of this has ANYTHING to do with your situation.

Instead of dreaming up worst-case scenarios, you should be glad that hiv is such a fragile, difficult to transmit virus. I know I am.

Ann


Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Mako

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Re: Blood Contact
« Reply #16 on: July 18, 2009, 09:06:18 am »
Thank you for your help, I accept the prognosis on here. It strikes me that there is a lot contradictory info/advice on the web and from the medical fraternity regarding the possible routes of infection. The Doctor I spoke to suggested vey small risk where as on here it is dismissed as no risk. Even in another thread on this board David was hesitant in dismissing the blood splash in the eye, yet in the scenario in question the blood would have clearly hit the atmosphere prior to the eye. Most of what I could find suggested that there were documented blood splash to open cut cases although 90% were hollow bore needles, the flip side was that 90% of all the occurences documented were needle stick so even if the risk were identical (which I don't buy) the result would show 90% of the positive cases were needle stick. Also in healthcare exposure PEP is routine so that must sway the numbers also.
Anyway I accept this isn't an exact science.  What is clear though is that of all the fear driven surfing I did, and there was a lot, this board is head and shoulders above all others, clear well researched no nonsense advice. Apologies for being pedantic (I'm afraid I have an enquiring mind) and keep up the priceless service you provide. 

 


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