Can I get infected from blood tainted gloves?

[scared_girl]

Hello everyone!
I had a blood draw done two days ago and I noticed few roundish stains on the technician's gloves when drawing the blood. I live in third world countries and technicians can have sloppy techniques or do not throw gloves away after each patient. I did not see her change her gloves so I am afraid that there might have been few blood stains on her gloves. They both do venipuncture and fingerstick lab draws. This is the procedure that she did: she put the belt above my vein and inserted the needle in my vein. Later she grabbed an alcohol cotton with her dirty gloves and put it on the insertion spot. I did not see where the cotton was standing on before. It might have been on the dirty table as well. Now, I have anxiety few days already, that some dried blood might have came in contact with the insertion sport and I might be infected from HCV or HIV. What are the odds of this happening? Please let me know.

Thank you!

[jberlin]

Wow - 1st, find better medical facilities if you can! The risk of HCV (and I think HIV) transmission this way is very small assuming they are at least using new needles every time. (please tell me they are not reusing needles!) Only thing else you can do is wait six months for incubation and go get tested. This is not the place to 'bet the odds'.
jack

[scared_girl]

Thank you! The syringe and needle looked new but still it leaves doubt. I just found similar articles here and here and here. One of them had MA instead of MD. I just hope some of these doctors are credible enough to post such comments with absolute certainty. But you are right, I should do hep C and HIV test after 6 months. Should I do hep A and B as well?

[jberlin]

What tests you need to take is best discussed with your medical professional, but many of these tests can be part of a regular annual physical blood labs.

Good luck,
jack

[scared_girl]

Do you know any sites where I can find doctor online? I do not trust the doctors in my country.

[Lynn K]

Are there any good facilities in your area like at a hospital instead of a local clinic? You would still need testing to see if you have contracted anything although unless they’re reused nredlestjerosk from touching his gloves would be very remote if it was blood on his gloves. Hep A is food borne not blood borne. What country are you in? Have you considered getting vaccinated against hep A and B? Hep A is not uncommon in the 3rd world due to poor sanitation practices also there is a lot of hep B. If you can get vaccinated you wouldn’t have to worry about a risk of those viruses

[scared_girl]

Thank you! That brings me a little relief. She touched the cotton ball, that's my only concern and I am almost sure she did not touch my vein before inserting the needle. I am pretty sure they do not reuse needles. I would have to check if I am already vaccinated of Hep A,B. I am not sure if when I was child, I was vaccinated.

[Lynn K]

Yeah hep c blood must enter a wound so it would have to have been pushed into your blood stream. If you have concerns get tested in 12 weeks but personally in my layperson opinion I would think your risk would be very low.

[scared_girl]

Do you mean it has to pushed in by needle or pushed in by cotton ball to get the virus?

[Lynn K]

It has to enter your blood stream. Even if a health care worker has an accidental needle stick involving a patient with known hep c the odds of transmission are only about 1.2%

I can’t imagine how one could force an unseen amount of blood from a cotton ball into ones blood stream. But even if some how you could the odds especially (without knowing for there even was hep c blood present) are very low

[scared_girl]

Thanks, I will do a test in 6 months just in case. I will try to forget the incident in meanwhile.

[andrew j]

Hi scared_girl,

You might be able to contact an Australian doctor through Greg Jefferies (a blogger here) - or Fix Hep C Buyers Club (a forum in Australia that helps people access generic Hep C meds.)

Otherwise, ask Lucinda Porter, who is a nurse, and a moderator here.

Lynn - Could you direct her to Lucinda?

(I won't be able to get to a computer again now until the weekend).

Best wishes,

A.