Hey guys I have a question. I was at the checkout counter at a store, and when it was time to pay the man ringing me up I noticed he had a small cut on his finger with what appeared to be fresh blood on it. He took my credit card, swiped it and handed it back to me. I remember telling my self that there might be blood on my card, so I put it in my shorts pocket. I am now wondering if I should wash those shorts, or ust get rid of them, becasue some blood from the card may have been transfered onto the shorts. Let's assume the blood was HIV positive for arguments sake. Will washing the shorts in hot water with regular soap kill any virus, or should I just through them out and not wash them at all? Please help, I don't know what to do.
Thanks
2007-03-26 21:02:04 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
No Bob no.
As always no.
repetitive so your score is 2 this time. Find a new scenario for goodness sake!
2007-03-27 01:06:27 · answer #1 · answered by dedum 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Any virus that might have been live on either the card or your shorts would be dead within a couple of hours. They just don't live long without a live host (like blood cells cells) to "feed" on. Cards and shorts are inorganic.
An exposure to HIV would involve direct contact (i.e. an open wound on your hand) with a fairly large amount of blood.
2007-03-26 21:16:49 · answer #2 · answered by Helen the Hellion 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even if the blood did have HIV in it, and some blood did get on your shorts, the chances of you actually becoming infected with HIV from this are zero.
HIV is transmitted through direct contact of bodily fluids (i.e. sexual intercourse, sharing of dirty needles, in a few cases possibly kissing if both parnters had wounds in their mouths).
Unless you intend on rubbing the contaminated part of your shorts into an open wound there is absoloutely nothing to worry about.
But, if you are still concerned about it, wash the shorts. There is no need to throw them away.
2007-03-26 21:16:01 · answer #3 · answered by imicola 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry. You won't get HIV. You can't get HIV unless you have an open cut and the blood has been rubbed on the cut. Don't worry and don't trough the shorts away. You're safe. I work in a hospital where most hospital workers are faced with HIV patients all the time. We double glove and wear masks with them.
2007-03-26 21:15:46 · answer #4 · answered by greylady 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
washing them will kill anything. If you are really worried about it, use color safe bleach, but just the hot soapy water is enough.
2007-03-26 21:10:12 · answer #5 · answered by lilly j 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋