Q and A

Question

Can HIV be transmitted through water into open wounds?

I found a closed bottle with some water and cotton inside. I used this water to clean an open wound. Can I get HIV?

Answer

Hi

Thanks for asking the question and letting us post online,

In short, No. HIV can’t survive in water. Using water you found to pour onto an open wound will not transmit HIV. This link should answer any further questions about HIV transmission.

Hope this helps.

22 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood

    Hi William, no there is no risk of transmission. For more information see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  2. william

    hi. so, an hiv positive person had a small cut on their finger. i had an open burn on my hand. we shared a bucket of soapy water to clean. we both put our wounded hands into the same bucket of water. is there any chance i could have been infected?

  3. Simon Collins

    Hi Romeo, no. Please see links here:
    https://i-base.info/qa/11844

  4. Romeo

    I have herpes and I think someone gave me some water and I think it had hiv blood in it I only took a sip but does this mean I have hiv now

  5. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Nazz, please follow this link for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  6. Nazz

    During body to body massage, if the penis vagina is massaged by rubbing the penis vagina, if the vaginal fluid gets stuck in the penis and the fluid gets on the broken skin of the thigh, is there a possibility of HIV infection?

  7. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Jane, this is not how HIV is transmitted. Please follow this link for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  8. Jane

    Okay what if an infected person brush his or her teeth and throw the brush in a bowl of water and another person use the water can the person get infected?

  9. Simon Collins

    Hi Mr Hour, thanks. HIV doesn’t survive for long outside the body – maybe only a few minutes. This means it is unlikely to still be infectious in saline solution.

  10. Mr Hour

    can hiv survive in normal saline solution because i used cotton mixed blood and solution saline?

Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *