Spitting, Discarded syringes & myths on transmission in the media

[Jim Allen]

Just back from my holidays, catching up on August reading and can see the number 1 very old myth regarding the cinema and HIV transmission is doing a new round on social media.

So just as a reminder:

Myth 1: Girl goes to cinema and comes out with HIV

Rumour: During the 1990s, a common myth suggested that discarded needles left by strangers anywhere from gas pump handles to inside your cinema chair were infecting unassuming people with HIV. One such story involved a girl getting an unexpected needle stick injury while reaching down beneath her cinema seat to pick up some popcorn.

Reality: Although HIV transmission is a risk between people who share needles for drug use, there has actually never been a recorded case of HIV transmission from a discarded needle. However, if you are concerned that you have received a needle stick injury, you should seek medical advice to get checked up for hepatitis C and B instead.

Links & more on top myths:
https://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=68627.0

 

In addition, read 3 "news" paper reports recently outlining risk "stories" not facts from people who had contact with needles, sharp objects in public or community settings when in there simply is no HIV risk!

This it boils down to fearmongering, lazy journalism and scare tactics to sell papers/get clicks. Its creates undue fear, misunderstand about HIV transmission and stigma. There are multiple reasons why it's not an HIV risk

Totally different conditions & volume is the occupational exposure as in clinic/hospital settings but even then the risk for HIV transmission is extremely rare, involving hollow needles that have been in the vein or artery. More common, high risk is sharing drug rigs/injection equipment under drug users although the factors there are totally different again as it's injection quantity stored in near-vacuum between users and does not apply to exposed or discarded objects, needles that people may come into contact with on a day to day basis.

Thought this reply regarding the topic on twitter was pretty good



Jim

https://www.avert.org/news/5-weirdest-hiv-transmission-myths-ever

http://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/needlestick-injuries-discarded-needles-and-risk-hiv-transmission

[Jim Allen]

Spitting is disgusting but not an HIV concern.

The Good AIDS claims I understand from people recently diagnosed as it's difficult for people, totally different level is the rubbish Police, Newspapers, Health departments with CYA (Cover your ass) & Media publish though, as I truly think it continues to feed public fear and in turn stigma.

Might rename this thread "Media myths"

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/08/16/police-association-wrongly-implies-hiv-spread-saliva/

An Australian police association head is under fire after incorrectly suggesting that HIV can be transmitted by spitting.

[Jim Allen]

More out of date scaremongering bullshit media stories. Terrible that the little girl got stuck but not an HIV concern

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-school-children-syringes-1.5271426

Girl, 5, undergoes HIV prevention after being pricked by discarded needle near schoolyard

[Jim Allen]

I renamed the thread and moved it here. I'll keep posting bad media stories or headlines as the media often gets it wrong

[Jim Allen]

The media running these stories should be including facts to avoid the continued spread of misinformation about HIV. Although I find spitting disgusting, it's not an HIV risk and as scared or fearful of the person who was spat on might be and entitled to feel, these feeling don't make it fact.

https://www.aidsmap.com/news/may-2018/hiv-cannot-be-transmitted-spitting-and-risk-biting-negligible-says-detailed-case

https://t.co/OIA4eX6rQd">https://t.co/OIA4eX6rQd

He was jailed for 15 months by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court, who told him that his spitting had been aggravated by the fear he cause when he told police he was HIV positive.

The officer who received the spit directly onto his face made a victim impact statement saying:"I am disgusted. I do the job to help other people and don't expect to be spat at.

"It was degrading and embarrassing and I had to have an injection, a course of anti-HIV drugs, and blood tests."

[Jim Allen]

I see the UK media is again pushing rubbish and scaremongering people with their 1980s shit. Mentioning it here before someone else posts it thinking its real, it's not.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12521727/Shoplifters-Iceland-staff-infected-HIV-needle-attacks.html

Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods

'Three of our store colleagues are now HIV positive as a result of needle attacks several years ago..'

This comment from the supermarket boss is nonsense and is already being challenged by HIV NGOs, health officials & organizations. As terrible as the assault is, it's not an HIV risk, and mandatory follow-up and case reporting to back up this is nonexistent.

[leatherman]

what a fear-mongering article.

These three possible HIV infections, all fellow employees, are years old and just now being reported? And haven't ever happened since?

After that there was so much scrolling, Scroll after scroll of reports about physical attacks; and nothing else at all to do with HIV but a small blockquote PSA about HIV/PrEP

[Jim Allen]

Indeed. Overall it is lazy journalism, but it sells papers or clicks and other media outlets are quick to copy anything that is dramatic without verifying facts.

[Jim Allen]

I see the UK media is again pushing rubbish and scaremongering people with their 1980s shit. Mentioning it here before someone else posts it thinking its real, it's not.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12521727/Shoplifters-Iceland-staff-infected-HIV-needle-attacks.html
 

This comment from the supermarket boss is nonsense and is already being challenged by HIV NGOs, health officials & organizations. As terrible as the assault is, it's not an HIV risk, and mandatory follow-up and case reporting to back up this is nonexistent.

Update:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d64fe848-5c9d-11ee-88d6-eacc4268cc5d?shareToken=47118a673028bb927eba62e3eb0ce316

Iceland boss apologises for HIV needle attack claim

The executive chairman of the frozen food shop Iceland has retracted the claim that three of his staff contracted HIV after being attacked with needles by shoplifters.


It was about as daft as claiming HIV from toilet seats. Needle stick injury under healthcare providers resulting in HIV transmission is extremely rare and rather unheard nowadays but discarded needles simply aren't HIV risks, never was a risk and there never has been a documented case, and needle attacks resulting in HIV is just another myth.

[Tonny2]

           ojo.             Hello there!…I remember the case of two brothers claiming they got hiv by sharing their toothbrushes or somthing like that, I think it was in Florida. Anyone remembers that case?.

[Jim Allen]

           ojo.             Hello there!…I remember the case of two brothers claiming they got hiv by sharing their toothbrushes or somthing like that, I think it was in Florida. Anyone remembers that case?.

Yeah. The 1992 report over a suspected 1988 transmission. Get asked all the time about it, as the CDC still holds onto that single report, although medical knowledge has since changed. In short, the transmission route at the time could not be confirmed; both brothers had received blood products, and one of the uncles had been living with HIV a while before this incident, I can't recall if the 2nd uncle also had HIV. However, the investigator started to speculate, and as it was the late 80s, they partly didn't know better or have the tools needed, so he mentioned toothbrushes, and the rest is history.

[Jim Allen]

On the subject of toothbrushes, doctors still get that wrong. There was a bit of news in 2020 after Dr Nigel Carter (Oral Health Foundation), claimed that HIV can be passed on by using the same toothbrush

I believe the National AIDS Trust, HIV Scotland the Terrence Higgins Trust corrected the Doctor.

[leatherman]

“I am told such needle-stick occurrences are vanishingly rare and have not happened for many years. I am therefore naturally very sorry that the draft article contained this information.”

He added: “I obviously never had any intention of stigmatising people with HIV or causing distress, and I apologise to anyone who feels that they were adversely affected by this.”

"draft article"? Wasn't it Walker's press release? LOL Not to mention, that is a piss poor "apology". When you apologize to whoever felt they were offended/affected, you're not really sorry for your actions.

[Jim Allen]

"draft article"? Wasn't it Walker's press release? LOL Not to mention, that is a piss poor "apology". When you apologize to whoever felt they were offended/affected, you're not really sorry for your actions.

100% the apology is weak and its still misleading regarding HIV transmission, so are some of the media coverage as they are still mixing up their facts with needle stick injuries in healthcare settings. I am not excusing this, but be it Doctors, Companies or the Media, it seems rare for them to apologize and when they do its never a good one.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66925287

The apology in full:

https://twitter.com/icelandrichard/status/1706369751486795793

My comment piece on shoplifting published by the Mail Online on 15 September was a draft article that I believed had been superseded by a video interview.
 
As I correctly stated in both the draft article and the video interview, threats of violence against our store colleagues by shoplifters are sadly an everyday occurrence, and the weapons deployed to reinforce these threats regularly include knives, screwdrivers, hammers and hypodermic needles.
 
However, the claim in the draft article that three of our store colleagues are HIV positive as a result of needle attacks was made in error. I have learnt a lot over the last 10 days, and spoken to professionals doing amazing work in this area. I am told such needlestick occurrences are vanishingly rare and have not happened for many years. I am therefore naturally very sorry that the draft article contained this information.
 
We immediately asked the Mail Online to amend its article, which has now been done, and quickly secured the removal of the claim from other media outlets.

I obviously never had any intention of stigmatising people with HIV or causing distress, and I apologise to anyone who feels that they were adversely affected by this.

[Jim Allen]

Just when I thought things could not get more stupid this week, now this.

https://nypost.com/2023/09/22/disturbing-warning-over-tiny-marks-on-toilet-paper-in-public-restrooms

Per the cautionary clip, which has scared up over 7 million views, the social media know-it-all shared an image of a toilet paper roll covered with small crimson flecks alongside long, thin and colorless streak marks.

“If you look closely, you will see a bunch of tiny red blood splotches,” said Jones. “That is not from someone’s bloody nose or little accident.”

“It’s from someone cleaning their needles — dirty needles to be exact,” he continued. “We don’t know if this was one person or multiple people cleaning their needles from injecting drugs.”

“If you are using this toilet paper to clean yourself, all it takes is one tiny drop of blood to enter your system,” Jones said, offering amateur advice about avoiding HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B or C infections. “If you do see a toilet paper roll that looks [bloodstained] in a public restroom, notify the staff immediately to have it replaced and stay as far away as you can from it.”

Video:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxTdDLkvatt/

To be clear: You can not get HIV from wiping your ass or being stuck by a discarded needle. There has never been a case of HIV being acquired from a discarded needle in the community, and it's a very old myth.

This guy is just rehashing old myths: https://www.beintheknow.org/news-and-blogs/5-weirdest-hiv-transmission-myths-ever