dear Dr, 6 months ago i was staying with a friend in the same room, i found out that he is gay, i got really afraid because he maybe hiv positive. to make it worse, i woke up one day i found my hand was scratched and had dry blood on it, i am really afraid if he did really pricked with a needle that may had his blood on it. do you think if there is a possibilty that i may contract hiv .plz respond back i am really worried.

Hello,

All of this panic, just because you found out your buddy was gay??? Hmm . . . it's painfully obvious you have some issues and misconceptions to deal with.

1. Your fears about being pricked are irrational. (Why would you even assume a "friend" would do something so morally reprehensible? Most friends really aren't psychotically deranged needle wielding maniacs purposely trying to HIV infect their buddies while they sleep!)

2. Assuming someone must be HIV positive just because he is gay is beyond presumptuous! The virus really doesn't care if you're gay, straight or bi-curious Republican.

Finally, yes, you could contract HIV from a prick, but not the imaginary kind you are worried about! I'd suggest you spend some time reviewing the wealth of information about HIV/AIDS on this site. It should also help clear up other misconceptions you may well be harboring as well.

Dr. Bob