Scarleteen

Hi, I have a question regarding a possible method of HIV transmission.
I know that HIV can be transmitted by sharing of infected needles or sharp objects, but is that possible in my case? I'm sorry if my worries sound stupid.
I was playing cricket out in a park the other day. There's an old deserted warehouse next to the park. There's a construction site nearby, so currently many workers from there often come to the warehouse for having food, changing clothes, etc. Most of these workers are illegal immigrants living in below poverty line conditions.
While we were playing, a friend hit the ball far into the warehouse, and I went to retrieve it. The warehouse was empty at the time. I was searching for the ball, and I felt a pricking sensation on my feet. I was barefoot, and I checked and saw that a needle/hairpin like object was pricking me. I had less than a drop of blood, but the pin had a very very tiny amount of DRY blood on it.
We didn't see anyone entering/leaving the warehouse for at least 15 minutes before I went in. Its possible that the needle was lying there for quite some time, but if we were to consider that the dry blood on the needle was infected and the needle was disposed off there recently, as in 20-30 mins before, is there any risk of HIV transmission from this?

Hi hypochondriac,

No, that scenario does not pose a risk of HIV transmission.

Have you made any progress in finding a mental healthcare professional to talk with?

Okay, so even though I bled a little on being pricked, the virus cannot survive on any infected object for 15 minutes, can it? Thank you!

I haven't within my town, but the good news is, I got accepted to med school. That means that I'm gonna have to move out of town soon, and hence I'll have access to such services, either in med school itself or within that city. Frankly speaking, I think I've been stressed all this time simply because I was worried about my results, and that has affected my pregnancy scares too.

In order to contract HIV, you would have to be exposed -- and in places like your mouth, genitals or an open wound -- DIRECTLY to someone else's blood. HIV cannot live on objects or be transmitted that way. It's also most likely the blood you saw was your own: tiny bits of blood dry very quickly.

Kudos on getting into medical school, by the way!