Dear Dr.Frascino,

I hope this communication finds you well and I want to thank you in advance for your time in answering my question. It will help me relieve the fear and tension although if you feel an HIV test is warranted by all means please advise me so and i will go straight away.

The incident is as follows:

Following a longhaul flight I had a nosebleed (it happens often in dry-air environment or air-conditioning etc and have consulted my GP who has run tests and concluded nothing was serious). For the rest of that day my nose was sore, the very front part, on the opening of the nose particularly. At some point after the flight the significant bleeding had stopped but not all of it and certainly not the sore. Because it was in my mind on one occasion whilst home walking in my city I put my finger on the sore part to check if there was blood and on my finger there was a solid blood which more looked like a small piece of paper soaked in blood-cannot explain it any better, sorry!!! Not sure if it was dry or not at that point but a few minutes later it dried cause I could touch it and lift it from the finger-that is why I say it was like solid blooded something!! My fear is what if I had previously touched a surface, a door-knob, something in the city whilst walking and then transferred it to my bleeding wound in the nose when i touched it to see if the nosebleed had stopped. The touching was not more than a few seconds but that was when that solid blood came out-whether it was my blood or picked up from touching a surface or door handle that is something i do not know and it creates my fear. Doctors say blood on environmental surface does not transmit HIV from the minute that blood hits the air, other sites suggest I seek mental help and others that the risk is low...all the variety of answers as you can imagine!! I was given your name from a colleague who admires you, as well as your work at 'the body' and at your foundation, so that you can ease my fear and advise me if my risk is existent or zero.

Your answer would greatly help me. Stay well and keep doing this amazing job you are doing. Through your foundation site I will see all info to donate an amount from my little savings for that great cause.

Kind regards, worried-over-nosebleed

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Your HIV-acquisition risk is completely nonexistent. HIV is not your problem. No way. No how. HIV testing is not warranted. HIV cannot be contracted by casual contact with environmental surfaces (such as doorknobs, etc.), even if you then touch a wound (like a nosebleed).

For your nosebleeds, try using a moisturizing saline nose spray or gel while flying or when in dry, irritating environments. If that doesn't do the trick, see an ENT physician.

Be well.

Dr. Bob