Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I touched a tissue with dry blood but from the far boundaries of the tissue, not from the side that had blood with my fingertips. Then, I put alcohol on my fingertips. But I am afraid that I did not wipe my fingertips properly. After this incident, I smoked two cigarettes from my pack of cigarettes. My question is, could I get the virus from this incident?
Second, I left this pack of cigarettes in my apartment for nearly 10 days in a room with no air conditioning. When I returned, I took a cigarette and smoked it from the same pack. Could there be any virus still alive that could infect me? It has been 10 days in a room with no air conditioning. Could this virus still be active in the cigarettes?
Kindly suggest.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I read your query and understand your concern.
The chances of transmission of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) by the given description appear to be nil. The blood need not be HIV-positive blood. There appears to be no contact with infected blood as you have not touched the blood part of the tissue. The chances of survival of HIV in dried blood on tissue are less. The chances of survival of HIV in the environment is a few minutes. Moreover, intact skin is an effective barrier.
Overall, the chances of transmission of HIV by the given description appear to be nil.
I do not see the need for you to worry about HIV.
I hope this helps.
Take care.
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Thank you for replying. I have broken skin on both thumbs. I had an exposure to an HIV patient when I wiped some dry blood spots on his finger with a tissue and threw it in the garbage. As I previously told you, I held the tissue twice from the garbage with bare fingertips from the side away from the wiped blood and then applied alcohol to my fingertips but did not wipe properly as quickly.
Then I went to get a pack of cigarettes and smoked two of them with the same fingers. My initial question was, might this be a means for him to infect me with HIV? Second, I left this pack at home and traveled for ten days. The room where I left my pack of cigarettes has no air conditioning. When I arrived today, I forgot and took a cigarette from the same pack. If I assumed that these cigarettes were contaminated with HIV, could this virus live for 10 days on the cigarette tip that I put in my mouth and smoked?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
In my opinion, the risk of transmission of HIV by the acts mentioned appears to be nil.
Either the touch with a hand or through a cigarette or cigarette pack, the risk appears to be nil.
HIV cannot enter through intact or just peeling skin. If there is an open bleeding wound, there are slight possibilities, but there are none, and there is no direct contact with infected blood. HIV does not survive in an environment beyond a few minutes.
I hope this helps.
Take care.
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Answered byDr. Basti Bharatesh Devendra
Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team
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