The Hindu Business Line : Spread of HIV

A few weeks ago, in a movie theatre in Paris, a lady felt something poked her. When she got up to see what it was, she found a needle sticking out of the seat with a note that read: "You have just been infected by HIV."

The Disease Control Centre (in Paris) reports many similar events in many other cities. All tested needles were HIV positive. The Centre also reports that needles have been found in cash dispensers at public banking machines.

Recently, a doctor narrated a somewhat similar instance that happened to one of his patients at the Priya Cinema in Delhi. A girl who was engaged to be married in a couple of months was infected in the same way. Though the doctors told her family that it would take about six months before the virus grew strong enough to start damaging the system and that a healthy victim could survive about 5-6 years, the girl died in four months, perhaps more because of the shock.

We all have to be careful in public places. Creating awareness among people can help save lives. Can one be infected with HIV by a mere poke of a needle?

S. Dinesh Gopinath, IAS, Director of Medical & Research Division, Chennai.

Dr G. Sathappan, Medical Officer, Occupational Health & Safety, The Hindu, throws more light on this:

A RARE mode of transmission.

Needle stick/sharp injuries are a comparatively rare mode of transmission. There are only few such cases reported in the world despite the fact that millions of healthcare workers are knowingly or unknowingly handling HIV infected individuals.

Despite such a low risk, the unrealistic fear remains a major hurdle in extending healthcare to the infected individuals. The risk depends on the concentration of the virus in those body fluids; the depth of injury, the type of needle (bore) immunogenic status of the patient and the precautions followed thereafter.

Just a mere prick is not proven to cause the spread of infection; the needle should have adequate amount of blood or other body fluids and the environment should be favourable to sustain the virus in that body fluid in the syringe/needle. All viruses die on drying, that is, they require the right medium for survival with adequate nutrients and temperature.

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