Hi Dr Bob, Just a quick question, while in hospital for Tachycardia, i was outside having a smoke, when a guy asked me for a lighter (he looked like a junkie) i gave him one his hand had dried blood on it but it was bandaged. i got a tiny bit of dried blood on my hand i had a few tiny cuts on my hand all healed max 12 hours old not bleeding(From doing gardening earlier in the day) just wondering the hiv/hep c risk from this, i did not notice any fresh tainted blood at all so am i home free ? I do worry about things a bit.... hopefully you can answer me this as ive checked the archives but they only seem to see hiv risk but with hiv and hep c risk can i put this behind me and move on ?? as he was a junkie in my eyes slurred speach etc...

many many thanks for taking the time to read my question donation made to The Robert James Franscino AIDS Foundation.

Dave

Hey Dave,

Your HIV and hepatitis C risk is nonexistent. However, I do see a significant health risk in your post. You were in the hospital for evaluation of tachycardia and you were outside "having a smoke"??? WHAT??? Dave, you really shouldn't worry so much about blood-borne disease, like HIV and hepatitis C, because if you're a smoker with cardiac abnormalities, the cigarettes will kill you long before the viruses would. I strongly urge you to quit smoking. I watched my brother die from cigarette-induced lung and brain cancer. I can assure you it's not something you want to experience.

Thanks for your donation to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org). It's warmly appreciated.

Good luck. Be well. Quit smoking.

Dr. Bob