Risk of HIV infection through touch?

S

Spectre

Staff Alumnus
(I know that someone may not see the logic in posting this in a CQC forum. The sad fact is, that winning a fight and contracting a lingering, eventually fatal disease is not victory at all in my eyes. With this in mind, I believe this to be germane.)

I have recently begun working security part-time in some Midtown (Atlanta) clubs. The clients are all clubs that are largely or almost entirely gay. I am not "homophobic"- I believe in everyone's right to free choice, provided those choices do not infringe on other's rights- but I am concerned about some potential health risks. I have lived a life that many would describe philosophically as "clean" or "moral". Scientifically, I could be described as extremely low-risk for any type of STD. With the emergence of HIV as a widespread, unstoppable killer, I have been concerned for years at the possibility of contracting a killer STD through nonsexual conduct.

My question is this: am I at risk for catching AIDS through checking id's or touching someone's arm? With the volume that goes through these clubs, I know that I must have come into contact with quite a few HIV carriers in the past few nights, but wonder if the risk is so low as to be statistically insignificant. (And, who really trusts a government study, anyway?)

Any information or resources given will be appreciated.
 
Spectre,
HIV can only be transmitted if certain bodily fluids are permitted to enter the bloodstream. These fluids are blood, semen, and possibly saliva. Consequently, in the two scenarios you presented, no risk is apparent, unless you were to somehow come in contact with open sores on an HIV carrier while checking ID or touching arms. This seems unlikely. If you are in a physical altercation with an individual, however, caution is warranted. I am unqualified to comment on preventative measures to be taken in such cases, as I am not in the security business.

I hope this helps,
Mort

[This message has been edited by Mort (edited 01-04-99).]
 
Hey Spec,

You might want to consider wearing clear style glasses and carrying surgical gloves with you when you work. Most of us do now working with the public, with valid concerns over contact with blood, saliva etc...
 
Spectre, on the lines of Mikes answer if you have a cut/ open wound or the like on your figer/hand/arm - anything that makes contact be <a>VERY careful !
May be a chance in a Million of contacting Aids/ Hep B or C but why risk it ?...Stay safe

[This message has been edited by HS (edited 01-04-99).]
 
Spectre,
Wear the glasses, carry the gloves. You might get some of the lined gloves made by Hatch. They look like a regular leather glove but will protect you in an altercation. Might be more PC with your employer too. Remember the uproar when the Secret Service wore surgical gloves when they greeted the Gay Rights activists at the White House a few years ago?

Also get the hepatitis B shots. It's expensive but worth it. First responders (ambulance, police, fire personnel) are required to have them. A series of three shots given over a period of 3 months IRRC.
Jeff
 
Spectre-
"am I at risk for catching AIDS through checking ID's or touching someones arm?"- no. I suppose one could come up with a theoretical scenario where you "could", but the odds are exceedingly small.
Think about this-
if you get stuck with an HIV infected hollow needle through a glove the odds of catching HIV are 1/250. The odds from a fluid splash to mucus membraes is much much smaller than this. There have been no cases of trasmission from closed mouth kissing and only one case from open mouth or "french" kissing(an addicts gums are very unappealing).
There have only been 5 documented cases of transmission from a blood(or other fluid) splash to the mucus membranes(eyes and nose) or skin.
In the realm of infectious disease it is a very wimpy virus. You will not get HIV from casual contact.

Of course with this said there is the single unexplainable case of the dentist spreading the virus to patients.

Some reasonable precautions to take would be to wear(or have) some thin leather gloves. I take it you are a "bouncer" and would think your highest risk(albeit small) would be from punching someone in the mouth and recieving a laceration from a tooth. That is to say as long as you are not dating the customers- JUST KIDDING! Sorry, couldn't resist. Not that there's anything wrong with that(seinfeld). If you wear glasses then ok, but as you are not around splurting body fluids this may be diminishing returns-you decide. You might want to carry a pair and wear them if things get dicey(people spit). Also- do not wear latex gloves as these will tear on teeth, chins, etc very easily.

By the by, HIV is present(diminishing amounts I believe) in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, saliva and tears. It is not found in sweat or feces. Also there have been no documented cases of transmission by insects.

Jeff- very good point about the Hep B vaccination. You are more likely to die from an exposure to Hep B than HIV. Really. It is much more transmissable than HIV and 2-3% of people die from contracting this disease. The vaccination schedule is 3 shots over 6mos. however and make sure you get a test that shows seroconversion(whether the shots took). Up to 10% of people are not "immune" after the series and have to repeat it at least once more.
But don't take my word for it. Look up www.cdc.gov, it's a good place to start for infectious type enlightenment.

but for the grace of God go I,

Olazul
 
Spectre,

When I first moved to Nashville I did some work with one of the security companies taht is very big in town here. They have very few "good" jobs and are mostly a joke, but in order to get the good jobs and to get in good with the owners, I worked the unwanted gay-club position a few times. I carried rubber gloves, and put them on before breaking up the one fight that took place while I was there. I didn't wear glasses, but I know that the one guard that worked that spot regularly did.
You should consider having a one-way CPR mask handy too. Gall's sells little pouch kits with disposable masks and rubber gloves. along with a few alcohol wipes.

------------------
-Essayons
 
Spectre,
Latex gloves may provide adequate protection in most cases. However, according to tests done by Texas Dept of Health, latex gloves are somewhat porous and HIV is an exceptionally small virus permitting (in one test case) the virus to seep through the pores of the glove. Also, a small hole in a latex glove might not be noticed (until the glove fills with a stranger's blood?).

Our local EMS folks wear "high risk" or "Nitrile" gloves at scenes with body fluid contamination. Second method, less favored by EMS, is to "double-glove" (wear two latex gloves on each hand). Least favored, simple latex gloves.

Remarkably, in the local Emergency Department (McKenna Memorial Hospital, New Braunfels, TX), they only wear latex gloves (one pair) regardless of the mess!

If "authorities" and "professionals" disagree, I don't know what the facts/risks are; but, I wear only high-risk gloves - even when I must buy them.

Depending upon which "authority" you believe, HBV is 200 to 600 times as contagious as HIV. TB is another threat as are streptococcus, influenza, etc. etc....

When I was working as a Security Officer, I wore latex gloves inside thin leather gloves if there was ANY hint of possible use of force. (The black leather gloves added a little bit to "ethical presence".) It worked for me, but I am sure opinions, customs, and policies vary.

Whatever you decide, Spectre, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and stay safe. Good luck.
 
Gosh, I love you guys! :) This type of feedback is exactly why I love TFL. I especially like olazul's very informative posts, but they're all great, and very much appreciated.

I did believe my risks from checking id's or re-entry stamps to be slight. The reason my boss loves working these places is because there appears to be virtually no violence compared to straight clubs, (example: I worked two bars Saturday night for 14 hours. I probably saw upwards of 1000 people. No fights.) though I will have to consider carefully if such a situation develops. (Spartacus advised "breaking up" violently quarelling lovers suchly: "You guys stop. Stop it, I said! You better stop." :)

Another thing that concerns me is the risk of catching something while hauling out partyers who have gone down on "G", which is evidently one of the drugs of choice in these bars. These folks tend to spew sometimes, so I could get some gastric slime on me...yuck.
 
If you wear the gloves for a long time your hands will have a tendecy to sweat, I've used baby powder to help.

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Justice For One, Justice For All.
 
Spectre,
You've gotten a lot of good, and accurate information from the TFL crowd here. I want to reinforce the statements that Hep B and Hep C are more contagious than HIV, and can be fatal.
We teach our hospital attendants that anytime they come into contact with any body fluid, use what are generally known as universal precautions. That is use barrier techniques for management, cleanup and cpr.
Another issue that comes up sometimes, probably more since more people are using latex gloves, is that people can develop severe allergic reactions to latex. It wouldn't hurt to look for alternative material gloves -- I do not have a brand to suggest however. Maybe someone else can add info along that line.
Use a little common sense, manage the environment, think ahead and you should be alright.

Jim in IN



------------------
-- TANSTAAFL
 
You could wear one of those rubber jump suits with the built in hood/mask deal, perhaps one of the patrons there can tell you were to get one.

Just make sure all the zippers are closed.

(and don't ask me to come meet you at work when I'm in town next month. ;))



------------------
-Essayons
 
Smart *ss. :) Don't worry Rob- all you'd have to do is take your shirt off, sweat, and wave your arms frantically!

Thanks to the info given, I got my first Hepatitis innoculation today. I again want to thank everyone who posted for helping to give me the information I need to keep me safe. Watch 6.
 
Rob made an excellent point re: CPR. On a vacation a few years ago we stopped at the entrance to Yellowstone Park. Another car stopped as well, and the couple (older) were kind enough to take our family photo. Then the woman explained they had just come from CA where they had buried their son. He had been an EMT in LA during the 1992 riots, and had contracted AIDS while performing CPR on one of the rioters.

Look at the bright side. You'll probably pick up some great tips on wardrobe selection. ;)
 
Jeff and Rob: not to be callous, but if anyone that is not a very close friend or family needs CPR, they'll have to wait for the EMT's. Health issues aside (and, these are my chief concerns, BTW), I would not want to face the legal problems (being sued) if someone died in spite of CPR administration. No-one (other than EMT's) is obligated to perform CPR.
 
Ummm, I'm neither a doctor nor an attorney, but I am a CPR Instructor/Trainer with the American Heart Association and the National Safety Council. IMHO, if the CPR is appropriate patient treatment, I believe you are obligated to perform CPR if you have already started or if it is part of your job description. This includes First Responders, lifeguards, Firefighters, most medical professionals, anybody working as a First Aid person, etc.

In EMS, I was obligated to do CPR when on-duty (and the patient needed it).

Good news: I had the ambulance equipment to improve my personal safety (e.g. bag-valve-mask (aka Ambu bag); lotsa gloves, eye protection, gowns, suction unit, etc.)

Bad news: The ambulance equipment would not yet be there if I was first on the scene (as a "First Responder"). So... I carried (and still carry several pairs of gloves, a CPR Microshield (1-rescuer CPR on patients over 6 y/o), and a pocket mask (for 2-rescuer CPR or patients less than 6 y/o).

The American Heart Association says (in writing) there is not one documented case of a rescuer contracting HIV/AIDS doing CPR mouth-to-mouth. (They don't say what documentation they would require and they don't mention Hepatitis, TB, etc...)

The Center for Disease Control says that the saliva of a full-blown AIDS patient has too little HIV to be contagious.

Me? I preach in every 1st Aid or CPR class:
1. The choice of going mouth-to-mouth with your patient is YOUR choice.
2. I will go mouth to mouth only with six people in the world - my wife, my kids, my mom, & my grandson. Any exception to that rule would be very, very rare. You don't know where the patient's mouth has been! (I mention Monica Lewinsky as an example.)
3. I act as though ALL body (bodily) fluids have every disease in the world. I tell my students:

"If it's wet, and it's NOT yours, don't play in it!".

When I teach LEOs, I tell them, "Never let anybody bite you. That's why God invented PR-24s - let the (expletive deleted) chew on that!"

BTW, you might hear that the dried blood from an HIV patient can no longer be contagious. That's a lie.

Although the HIV/AIDS virus "probably" dies when the blood dries, hepatitis, TB and other germs live much, MUCH longer. If you have to clean up blood, vomit, or ANY bodily fluid, I strongly recommend you exaggerate the threat and wear gloves, long sleeves, and especially eye protection. If bleach won't hurt what you're cleaning, one part bleach to nine parts water is a good cleaning solution (stronger is NOT better) and soak it for at least 15 minutes.

Items contaminated with bodily fluids should be disposed of safely. Use the red bloodborne pathogen bags when available. Otherwise, use a garbage bag and keep it sealed, isolated, and under your control until you can dispose of the contaminated items in a proper (legal) manner. LEOs, Fire Depts & EMS can help you - so can hospitals.

Take care of yourselves. This is no joke. This summer at San Antonio College (in my EMT recertification class), I was told 200 or so EMS people die each year from diseases contracted from their on-duty patients. Don't be paranoid about this - just be careful.

It's great to be a hero. It's not so great to bring home some horrible disease that also can infect your loved ones.

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Svoboda ne bezplatnoe



[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited 01-11-99).]
 
The decision to help an individual in need is a highly personal one-

Unless you are being paid for your lifesaving skills(at that moment), you are not legally obligated to perform CPR/help. Furthermore as long as you are trying to help you are a good samaritan and the likelihood of being successfully sued is miniscule. I think the fear of being sued do to bad outcome of CPR is not based on reality. In order to prove negligence you must do something wrong that then worsens a patients condition. If you are doing CPR the individual is already dead. It is hard to hurt someone without a pulse.

Since the disease has been documented by the CDC, there have been no documented and only 12 possible cases of trasmission of HIV to EMT/paramedics. To be "documented" the individual must have had a previous negative test as a baseline(maybe not explained in a CPR pamphlet but not hidden either). How many police officers get killed every year?

There is quite a bit of paranoia about HIV. As long as the patients mouth is not covered with large open sores or covered with blood the risk of Getting HIV by performing CPR is incredibly small(see previous post on open mouth kissing). I could not find any cases of transmission through CPR.

Dennis- This is not meant to be a flame but I find it distressing that you are "preaching" your biased views during a CPR class. You should be teaching facts and the facts do not support with holding CPR due to fear of catching a terrible bug.
The example of monica lewinsky is entertaining, but not really pertinent. The human mouth is one of the dirtiest organic holes in nature. The normal flora consists of all kinds of nasty bugs. The last date you guys went on, did you kiss? What are the chances she has engaged in oral sex with another individual in the past?, that she has a history of IV drug use?("I did it just that once!"), TB exposure?, chronic hepatitis B?, or herpes?(you did know people shed the virus without having sores didn't you?). The point? You always need to take REASONABLE precautions- socially and professionally. Reasonable being a key word.

By the way the CDC has not stated that you could not contract HIV from saliva, just that it is very, very unlikely.

Think about this. The individual who is lying there has about 5 minutes. Less time than it takes to get to a phone and the medics to arrive. You are their chance for survival. If CPR is not started by a bystander the chance for survival is negligible. Your chance for contracting a terrible disease from helping them is also so small as to be negligible(insert common sense here). Hey, it may be as easy as opening their airway.
Make a decision but let it be an informed decision, not one based on paranoia or fear. To save a life- it is a beautiful thing(IMHO).

Of course, it is your decision.
 
Dennis and olazul, thanks for the posts. I appreciated them both.

In regards to my personal situation on the job: if I was in a position to decide whether or not to do CPR, the possible recipient will likely be a homosexual man with a history of at least some drug use. I love my fellow man (well, not in a Greek way :)), but I am not going to administer more than rudimentary aid to such high-risk individuals. I will help them off the floor. I will bring them a charcoal pill to combat the #$%^ they put in their system. I will carry them out. CPR? I don't think so. This may be callous in the eyes of some, and if that is the feeling you get of me, I am sorry.

...regardless of my personal choices, it is always good to have the information. Thanks.
 
Dennis, don't know if state law governs or not. I do know part of what you said is correct, if you start CPR, there are rules as to when you can cease. I am a 10 year EMT/AHA CPR instructor. If I am working, yes I am obligated to perform CPR. If I am not working, I am not obligated, but If I thought the person down had a chance, I would start CPR.
Dennis, I think this 200 number you were given, is phony. Neither I nor any I know have ever heard of that kind of number. GLV
 
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