Can HIV occur from chapped lips and blood on the straw?
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I went to a beach and I ordered for coconut water. Possibly when the coconut water was given there was a straw that the coconut vendor put in the coconut with his hands. On that day my lips were chapped or cracked. I drank the water by the straw. After that, I saw that the fingers of the coconut vendor were bruised and blood might have had been put on the straw by him accidently which might have had touched my chapped lips. If in case if the coconut vendor had HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus), could it be possible that the blood on the straw could have had touched my chapped lips and infected me?
Kindly help.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
Your risk of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) acquisition is unwarranted in this case. HIV can only be transmitted by sexual contact, through the exchange of contaminated syringes or needles, blood transfusion or there can be vertical transmission from HIV infected mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or through breast milk. HIV cannot survive outside the body or even in the old healed lesions or bruised sites.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
Well, particularly in this case, if the blood was on the straw and if the straw touched my chapped lips this fact is causing a lot of anxiety in me as I feel that because of chapped lips HIV could have entered the bloodstream. I do not know the HIV status of the coconut vendor. Should I go for an HIV-RNA test after ten days?
Kindly help.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
It is not that easy for HIV to transmit. It is a fragile virus and that needs a high dose of inoculum to cause an infection. Had this been the cause of transmission, you could imagine the quantum of HIV infected people on this earth.
Thank you.
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