What can be contracted through dried blood?

Question

My son had to get lab work today and he got stuck twice. I notice the after the first stick the phlebotomist threw away the equipment in the biohazard box and touched the rim with a bunch of dried blood. She didn't change her gloves and continued to stick my son. She wiped the site with alcohol but then proceded to feel for the vein and didn't wipe the site again. It happened so fast and I wondered if I'm being paranoid but now that I think about it I can't get it out of my head that my son might contract something. What can be passed on with dried blood. What are the chances please anyone respond thank you.

Answer 1

First of all Bloodborne Pathogens can live outside the body for up to a week. Hepatitis B can live outside the body for up to a week and Hepatitis C can live outside the body for up to 4 days. Not to scare you but 1/50 in the USA have Hep C.
As far as HIV its estimated by CDC that one in appx 278 are infected, however 90-99% of the virus dies with in a few hours of drying.... The possibility of infection is greater for Hep C than it would be for HIV....I would definetly not be a happy camper and would consider consultation from a medical professional and make sure they follow CDC protocol for PEP. Unfortunately their is no PEP for HEP C, but their is PEP for HEP B and HIV. Time is of the essence however.

Answer 2

In order something was passed on it had to be in that very same particle of dry blood she touched.. it had to be directly inoculated in the needle used to stick your son, and it had to be in sufficient number to cause infection. If I got it ok I believe there are almost no chances at all something passed..

Answer 3

Depends on who's blood it is, it still carries whatever disease that person has or had at the time that person bled, alchohol won't get rid of any of the bacteria and in fact he can pass on whatever the bood contained. The chance though is rather small, but still there.