My DH has been exposed to HIV and Hep B/C Risk - the risk is v v v v v low, yeah??

[PeckaRolloverAgain]

I was quite cool about it but he is really, really stressing out and Im starting to wobble.

Basically he works in a heamatology lab and pricked his finger on a needle when trying to fix a machine. This machine is only cleaned once a day and infected blood samples are regularly tested on it.

He is awaiting blood results and in the meantime isnt feeling well, caught a cold 3-4 weeks ago and seems to be having real trouble shaking it, keeps also feeling/being sick, headache and coughing and sniffing out blood.

Im sure its just a bad cold that has been doing the rounds but his panic is becoming contageous.

He keeps looking very preoccupied, gazing at the kids, checking financial stuff in order etc

I can totally understand his panic but Ive tried to keep a really level head and as far as Im aware these viruses done survive long in the air?

He keeps saying too that he could have given it to me and I in turn could be giving it to breastfed DD.

Just wanted some reassurance I am right not to panic?

ooooooooh, he must be scared.

AFAIK, HIV does not survive outside the body, hence you cannot catch it from shaking hands or loo seats etc.. don;t know about hep b or c i;m afriad

surely his work should have given him this info

poor you and DH

big hugs when does he get the results.

with HIV, it is a virus, therefore like a cold in its make-up...you may not get it every time you are exposed.

however a needle stick injury is still a serious issue - the virus may not manifest in his cells for up to 6 months, so may need more than one test iyswim.

i don't know as much about hep im afraid.

please try not to worry

Poor you and dh. I am no expert, but I would imagine the worry is causing the headache and naseau (sp!) As far as I know, the viruses die quickly when not in the body and I would have thought the risk is only hypothetical. I hope you don't have too much longer to wait?

HIV and hepatitis can survive outside the body for a short time. A few hours though, not the ages people assume though.

He needs to have a blood test within the next twelve weeks - then another twelve weeks after that. He will need counselling first.

But the risk is very low. It's also unlikely that seroconversion could have taken place yet, the virus takes about four to six weeks to manifest before it can start reproducing (which is why it takes 12 weeks to get an accurate test result - sometimes longer). Also some people appear to just not get it despite exposure.

The cold bit: I would suggest it is indeed a winter bug and stress won't be helping. Common first signs of infection are actually night sweats. Also with hepatitis - much more likely by the way, it's going to show up quicker and he can be treated very quickly and effectively.

But why the hell wasn't he offered Post Exposure Prophylaxis????

Was he wearing gloves? Similar thing happened to my dp, was told that surgical gloves will often remove any bacteria on needle as it goes through.

Thinking of you, I know it's terrifying

ah or
eveyone has colds atm
i am sure the risk is itny.

1 handed typing here

he wasnt wearing gloves ()

didnt get post exposure stuff as he was on nightshift alone at the time and his initial blase reaction was to shrug it off - its only been over time he has freaked

results on friday - this test is the first 12 wk one. happened in nov

I'm sure he'll be fine Pecka

FWIW, one night when my dh worked in security 2 guys tried to mug him when locking up and stabbed him with a used needle.

He was tested and re checked months after and they came back all clear.

if he works in the lab, he should have up to date Hep B vaccination, surely?

sorry yes he is innoculated against B

But you can get PEP up to 24 hours afterwards! Silly sod! I know what you mean though - you just refuse to believe it and ignore it for the first few days with the shock. Hopefully by the weekend he will be feeling a bit more relaxed

Yeah, he is completely beating himself up about it now and keeps going on how he wouldnt forgive himself if it could have been so easily avoided.

Silly sod. I'm sure we've all done things that have endangered our health on a regular basis - feeling guilty about them doesn't help or change anything. I'm sure you don't blame him in any way.

Now you have to watch out for him going on celebrating on Friday and breaking his foot tripping on the way out of the pub!

Poor sod! I got a needlestick from a hep B and hep C positive patient so had a worrying few months but everything was fine.

Sorry pecka - I completely missed the end of your OP. Have you been using condoms since? The transmission through breast milk is VERY unlikely. But are you going to be tested too?

i understood that the HIV virus only lasts outside of the body for 13 seconds?

Loopylou - no it can survive for about an hour - a bit longer if it is in favourable circumstances, but not much more than that.

have just got this off the HIV site, im sorry WMMC, im not meaning to be argumentitive , im just trying to give hope to the OP

Question: How long can the virus live outside the human body?
Answer: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is fragile. Once the virus is outside the body in a dry form, it dies immediately. Even in a wet state, it does not live long when exposed to heat, detergents, or disinfectants. When stored in blood banks at 4°C, it can live for about 3 weeks (or longer), or till the white cell disintegrates, but in a frozen state it can survive for years.

Didn't think you were Loopylou and my training is five years out of date. Of course a virus will be destroyed by heat, detergents or disinfectants though. That's what I mean by a favourable environment. Whop a virus on a petri dish it'll survive a lot longer than on a baby wipe etc.

Yes I have had unprotected sex. Before he had his oh my god moment and realised how real the risk actually was. This coincided with me being overdue with DD and I was desperate for his prostaglandins and just said oh we will be fine, he was reluctant but fairly easily persuaded!

I really dont get why this particular machine is only cleaned once a day. It's part of the night shift maintenance. The rest of the analysers are cleaned far more often than that. He has tried to explain what this machine actually does but its gobbledigook to me.

I would like to think its because the risk is lower but at the end of the day its still a needle coming into regular contact with infected specimens.

I do apologise Pecka but KKMs last line just made me chortle.

Pecka you are even less at risk than him - IF he was exposed you had sex probably before he could have seroconverted - though yes he could conceivably have passed hepatitis quicker but you aren't that worried about that are you?

Yes, am chortling too!!

DD is now 4 weeks old and there has certainly been no sex since or likely to happen any time soon LOL