HIV by touching eye?

[Worried Wife]

Im hoping you can help - we live in a small country town in Australia and finding it difficult to get an answer on this one - my husband, a police officer, may have been exposed to blood at a car accident.
 
The lady, who was a passenger in the car, had light bleeding to some cuts/scratches on her knuckes on some of her fingers.  When my husband was talking to her she touched the front of his jumper with her hand, leaving a spot of blood about an inch long on the jumper.  Whilst speaking with the lady, she went to walk to the car.  My husband put his hand on her shoulder for about a second to stop her from going to the car (for fear the car was leaking petrol). 
 
My concern is that she may have had blood on her jacket (wiped from her fingers?) where my husband touched her. He thinks that he didnt - he felt and saw nothing on his hand although he wasnt really looking for it either.  She was wearing a black leather jacket and so the blood would not have been visible on the jacket. 
 
A few minutes after this my husband rubbed anti-microbial gel onto his hands to be safe as he had some small scratches on his hands from doing some work at home (no open cuts - very small scratches with scabs on them on the backs of his fingers).
 
This incident occurred 18 days ago. 
 
1.  What are the chances of transmission of HIV in this incident? 
 
2.  The laboratory that we use here states on their tests that "infection cannot be ruled out if exposure was less than 6 weeks from time of serum collection".  He will therefore get a test done at 6 weeks but I am concerned because when I read your postings you are adament that the window period is 12 weeks (and you are the expert!).  What do you think about this?
 
3.  What kind of test can be taken earliest to determine if my husband was exposed to HIV and therefore give an indicator before the regular 12 week window period?  Could the RNA/DNA PCR test be taken to rule out infection?  If so when can this be done?  Does the regular HIV test then have to be taken after this?
 
4.  My husband and I are using condoms however a few days ago after having sex  I noticed that some semen had come out of the bottom of the condom so I went and had a bath straight away.  I am now terrified that I could be exposed too.  This is mostly because we have a new baby who I am breastfeeding.  Would his semen be infectious that soon (2 weeks) after potential exposure?
 
I am an absolute MESS at the moment and am considering stopping breastfeeding just in case (although this is the last thing I want to do - I aimed to breast feed for a year at least).   I am so torn about what to do!!!
 
Thanks, Worried Copper's Wife.

[Ann]

Worried,

Your husband has NOT had a risk and does NOT need to test.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse. Once outside the human body, differences in temperature, moisture content and pH levels quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect.

The only time in this sort of scenario your husband may have needed to be concerned is if the woman was bleeding heavily and your husband was cut deeply on the car wreckage and got her blood into his fresh, deep wound. This did not happen.

He did not have a risk.

Ann

[Worried Wife]

Hi,

Just a question re. something that I am worrying about.

Yesterday I had tradesmen at my house erecting a garage.  After they had finished they handed me the keys to the door with a keyring on it.  About ten minutes later I was feeding my new baby and he had something in the corner of his eye.  I carefully removed it with the tip of my fingernail then started to worry that there may have been blood on the keyring and I could have transferred it to the baby's eye!

I worried that what if the tradesman had cut himself during the job and touched the keyring and after handling the keyring to me I got it on my finger. I didnt notice any blood on his hands but I wasnt really looking.

I could not see any blood/marks on the keyring or the keys.  I went and used a baby wipe and wiped the keyring and keys and there nothing at all came off onto the baby wipe when I checked it.

Could HIV possibly be transmitted in this way?

Yes I do have unrealistic fears of HIV and I know that this is far fetched but it is very real to me.  I am currently seeing a psychiatrist re. this fear and have just started medication but obviously I am not yet getting better.  Its like I have a 'worry radar' that is constantly scanning every minute of my life for ways I or my children could possibly get infected.  I can only hope that one day I will be able to enjoy life and not live every day worrying!  An answer to this will hopefully help me stop panicking about this incident.

Thanks in advance.

[tinydaniell]

No HIV can't be transmitted in this manner. If blood had of been on the keys when it touched the air the HIV was no longer viable.

[Ann]

WW,

I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.

If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.

Please also read through the Welcome Thread so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

When you read the Welcome thread, make sure you click on the link to the Transmission Lesson and read the information. The situation you describe is absolutely NOT a risk for hiv infection. Please also re-read my earlier post to you.

I'm glad to hear you're getting professional help with your hiv anxieties. Stick with it - you won't regret it.

Ann