Pls help - Worry about blood to blood transmission to baby

Dec 10, 2013

Dear doctor,

Thanks for your help. Would like to educate myself regarding blood to blood transmission route. I am worried about HIV due to the hygiene of my babysitter (unknown status). One time she cut her finger with knife in the kitchen, and a few hours later she used that finger to change the diaper of my baby and put cream on him without bandaid. Is there any risk of transmitting HIV in incidents like this? My baby also has eczema and sometimes scratch himself due to mosquito bites causing many small wounds. I know HIV cannot be transmitted through daily contact but I am afraid he may get contact with her cuts and wounds from time to time in daily contact. Baby would also put his fingers in babysitter's mouth and she may have bleeding gums. I am worried about transmission especially when I am not around. Is there any transmission case ever happened in this way?

What worries me most is that baby developed numerous small red very itchy rash (pimple-like but a lot) all over his body including back, chest and shoulder 3 weeks after the kitchen incident. It lasted for 2-3 days after applying hydrocortisone cream. And he also got bad running nose and cough for weeks but no fever so far. His doctor guessed the rash may be some form of allergy. Could it be ARS rash and Should I get him tested??? Really very worried every time some symptoms appeared.

Thanks a million for your help doctor.

Response from Dr. Wohl

I see no risk here. This is not how HIV can be transmitted.

DW