hi i was wondering if anyone can help me........i have a friend who not long ago confided in me. about 3 years she was in a nightclub and felt as though someone had pricked her in a nightclub on her arm. she was not drunk or high so she knows what she had felt..........she didnt do anything about it at the time but now 3 years later she is feelin worried and scared like many people on this forum.

has this ever happened to anyone before??

if she had been pricked with a needle with some one who has hiv what is the probability that it could have been transmitted to her???
if it did contain hiv blood would this make it 100% that she could have it as it would have gone into her blood aswel?

any replies much appriciated

Hi - Of course, there is no way that I can tell you for sure that your friend was not infected; however, unless the person pricked her with the needle purposely to try to give her Aids, I would doubt very much if she had contacted the virus. However, it never hurts to be positive if she is at all worried. Many people are being tested for HIV. For instance, my daughter, who has been happily married for years, recently had a routine gyn examination, and her doctor asked her to take the HIV test just because it's so easy to include with other tests; and also because apparently soon almost everyone will be asked to take the test. It certainly doesn't mean that a person is a drug addict or promiscuous, or whatever. It would ease her mind...:)

thank you for ur reply, i do guess your right, there is no way of knowing, i have recently spoke 2 my friend again and she is still worried but does not want to get tested becasue of what her test may show. i tld her not to rely on symptons but she does get pins and needles in her hands and feet alot and like every1 else swollen nodes in neck and underarms and white toungue

i guess im just writing this to warm people that things like this can happen.

i have read on some medical sites about healthworkers being pricked with needles with hiv + blood and the risk is about 3%? not sure if that is correct but i think it has given my friend some hope.
does anybody have any more info on this or some websites with statistics in healthcare?

If the needle were infected with HIV, the chance of infection for your friend would be low, because HIV just isn't a really strong virus outside the body. However, if the needle were infected with Hepatitis B or C, the possibility of infection would be significant, because hepatitis is a very "strong" virus.

You might check out the CDC website. I'm not sure how much info they have about transmission, but I'd think they would have good info.

That said, I would try to convince your friend to get tested for HIV AND Hepatitis B and C. Let her know that she is probably negative for all, but on the tiny chance she isn't, it's better to know so she can get proper treatment as soon as possible. Go with her, and help her be strong. Knowing the truth is always better. I really feel for her and hope and pray she's okay.