Blood and HIV...?

Question

Hey guys have a quick question for you. I was standing in line at a theme park, a very popular one located in Southern California, and I was leaning up against the stone retaining wall, you know those ones that hold up the "greenbelts" with plants and tress for decoration, whe nI noticed that on top of the wall there was a tissue with blood all over it. The back of my shirt had been brushing up against it. I don't know if the blood was wet or dry, I wasn't about to touch it, and I don't think any of the blood came into contact with my skin. What should I do? I am worried about HIV and Hep C. Should I throw the shirt out? Or will washing it kills any HIV, assuming it was HIV positive and let's make that assumption, on the shirt? Will taking a regular shower too clean me if any of it soaked through and got on my skin. Please help, I'm kind of freaking out.
Thanks

Answer 1

Bob! Excellent!! I love the new setting and scenario! Thanks for mixing it up a bit!! Your last one was sub standard for you and this one is really good! Thanks! For this scenario, I am giving you an 8!! Good job!
I really like the theme park setting as well.. the school and grocery store setting was getting stale!
oh, and a quick answer for you, as always, and usual, no!

Answer 2

You shouldn't be too concerned. I have gotten blood on my clothes many times (I'm an EMT...it happens) and I have never caught anything. I get tested every 3 months due to the nature of my job.

Chlorox will kill any viruses. The bad part is the blood stains are really hard to get out (hence our navy blue uniforms). Peroxide works pretty well but there might still be a faint stain. I've tried Oxyclean and that didn't seem to work to well.

HIV dies very quickly when exposed to air. It cannot live outside the body. HBV, on the other hand, can be hardy and can live in a dried blood spill. It is highly unlikely that you have contracted either virus through this incident. However, to set your mind at rest, get tested.

I hope you informed park authories about this incident.

Answer 3

You've got to go to a great deal of trouble to get HIV - else we'd all have died off long ago. The virus lives in body fluids and dies very quickly, and it can only enter the body through damaged skin - e.g. an open wound, a needle, sores, ulcers, etc. You don't have anything to worry about - except perhaps the poor soul who left the tissue there in the first place.

Answer 4

Unless the blood was positive, it soaked through your shirt and you had an open wound in that area, its all a bit unlikely. Also putting the shirt in a normal machine wash should be fine to remove any possible contamination. Try not to let this pray on your mind. Unfortunately if it does you will not be able to rest unless you do have a test, however unlikely infection is.

Answer 5

A virus will die when exposed to the air with in minutes of the exposure. So there is no real chance that you will get any thing from it. And the fact that it touched your shirt is nothing to worried about. Even if it was fresh it would have had to been in touch/exposed to your blood. Which didn't happen.
So don't worry buddy, your OK

Answer 6

One thing you have to remember is that air DO NOT kill HIV but it depend how long the blood as been sitting their the virus die quickly in the environment.

Answer 7

hiv die once it reches air so unless it is blood to blood contact you have nothing to worry about. If you touched the blood and had a open cut then you should worry but if you didnt have a open cut then dont worry.

Answer 8

HIV dies very quickly when exposed to air and dryness. Wash your shirt, and don't worry about it.

Answer 9

Are you HOT?