Does HIV survive on public surfaces like elevator buttons?

Question

Hello doctor,

I pressed an elevator button and immediately licked my finger, which touched it, because the finger was dry. I know the elevator button is a high-contact point, and I can get germs. Can I get HIV from that?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Let me read your query and reply to you shortly.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

No, it is not possible to get HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) by licking the finger after touching an elevator button, which is usually a high-contact point. Below, I have explained briefly about the ways of HIV transmission. You can only get HIV by coming into direct contact with certain body fluids from a person with HIV who has a detectable viral load.

These fluids are:

Blood.
Semen (cum) and pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum).
Rectal fluids.
Vaginal fluids.
Breast milk.

For transmission to occur, the HIV in these fluids must get into the bloodstream of an HIV-negative person through a mucous membrane, through open cuts or sores, or by direct injection.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Answer 3

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

No, the tongue is not considered an entry point for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV does not live long outside the body, and for transmission to occur, HIV must be present in the fluid, and fluid containing HIV should enter through the mucous membrane, through open cuts or sores, or by direct injection.

In your case, the button could have contained germs and not HIV, so there is no point in asking for its entry through the tongue.

I hope this information helps you.

Thanks.