HomeAnswersHIV/AIDS specialisthivDo I have a risk of HIV after a tainted gauze was put on a wound?

Is it necessary to get tested for HIV if the wound dressing was done with a gauze used by an HIV patient?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At June 17, 2023
Reviewed AtDecember 7, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I had a car accident and had a serious bleeding wound on my knee with a size of 2.36 inch x 2.36 inch. I went to an emergency room in a small hospital in a rural area to get treatment. The nurse cleaned my wound and it was bleeding. After cleaning the wound, the nurse used a gauze pad to cover my wound. I noticed there were some stains on the gauze pad. Because she did it so quickly and at that time it was so painful, I did not ask her about this at that time. When coming back home, I started to realize she might accidentally take a gauze pad that was used by other people minutes before and the stains I saw might be other people’s blood. Since this was a very small hospital in the rural area this kind of mistake might happen. I know the stain might be another medication or something, but let us just assume it is another patient’s blood. I am worried about what if the gauze pad was used by the other patient with HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus). His blood on it deeply contacted my wound for hours, which might cause HIV infection. Do you think there is such a risk, and do I need to do HIV test?

Thank you.

Hello,

We will pay close attention to your worries and address all of your questions with utmost care. Your risk of acquisition of HIV is non-existent in this scenario. Firstly gauze pads are unlikely to be reused. These are discarded after a single use. The other important thing to note is that HIV can only be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact with HIV infected person or through blood transfusion or direct exchange of needles and syringes. The situation you are worried about is hypothetical. Please also note that HIV has a very short half-life outside the body and is destroyed in a very short time. I hope you had a pleasant experience with icliniq. I will always be available for you in case you have any queries.

Thank you.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Ravinder K. Sachdeva
Dr. Ravinder K. Sachdeva

HIV/AIDS specialist

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Read answers about:

hivhiv testing

Ask your health query to a doctor online

HIV/AIDS specialist

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy