Friday, August 5, 2011

Health Care Worker risk of contracting HIV from infected patient's blood?

I work in an emergency room and one day I was discontinuing an IV of an HIV infected patient. I know i splashed some fluids from the actual saline bag on my arms, but as far as I know that part is sterile. (right?) Anyway, the part i'm really worried about is that after I took the actual catheter out of the patient's arm, as I started to walk towards the trashcan to throw it away my face felt a little wet. As far as I know, it didn't feel wet before or there was no OBVIOUS splash that I can recall from the actual catheter but my face just started to feel wet as I walked to the trashcan. The end of the catheter was pointed towards me but I could not tell if I was just sweating and actually feeling it as I walked (the room was set on like 85 degrees for some reason so it was very hot in there), or if somehow the catheter splashed infected blood/extra iv fluids in my face. My mouth was not open, so I do not think it got directly inside my mouth if it did splash, but it could have gotten on my lips. I recall my cheeks and areas surrounding my mouth feeling wet, and I thinkkk my lips felt wet, which is why I freaked out thinking it was more than just sweating. I looked in the mirror after wards and did not see any obvious blood on my face but then again it was mixed with iv fluids so might not have looked bright red if splashed regardless. I got tested a week later and it was negative, but I know that it might not show up for even up to 6 months or longer. Since then I have gotten a vaginal yeast infection, and have had weird burning tongue sensations, and feeling like something is stuck in my throat (all happened within 2 weeks of possible exposure). Could these be coincidence or early signs? Can you even show signs that soon? Someone please let me know what you think. Thanks!!

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