To not get HIV when being stabbed by a needle

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The situation of bad guys threatening to use drug needles or infected blood with HIV to steal property is quite common. There are also many cases where the victim was accidentally hit by a needle or stepped on a needle that was left indiscriminately outside. Not everyone knows how to properly handle it to protect themselves from the risk of getting HIV.

Doctor CKI Nguyen Thanh Dung, Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, said that in most cases due to panic, they often try to squeeze and squeeze the wound to push blood, in order to push the "HIV virus" out of the body as quickly as possible. good. In fact, this will increase the area of ​​​​the lesion, making the risk of infection higher.

According to Dr. Dung, it is necessary to be very calm to handle the wound in time. With bleeding skin lesions, it is necessary to immediately flush the wound under running water for 5-10 minutes, do not squeeze the wound, but let the wound bleed on its own. Need to wash thoroughly with antibacterial soap and clean water.

After that, the victim needs to quickly go to a medical facility to conduct examination and testing procedures for HIV exposure. Current HIV testing procedures are simple, quick and inexpensive.

"HIV antiretroviral drugs must be administered as soon as possible, 2 to 6 hours and before 72 hours after exposure for all potential exposures, and the HIV status of the source of the exposure is assessed. infected and exposed people," said Dr. Dung.

After 72 hours of exposure to HIV, antiretroviral drugs are mostly ineffective. In cases of needlestick puncture, it is often difficult to test the source of exposure, only determining the HIV status of the exposed person.

If the exposed person tests positive for HIV, meaning that they have been infected with HIV before, they will be transferred to HIV/AIDS care and treatment facilities to be monitored and treated like other HIV-infected individuals. If the exposed person is at risk and the HIV test is negative, then post-exposure prophylaxis should be instituted according to guidelines, with a reasonable treatment regimen.

Some notes when taking antiviral drugs:

- Adhere to the correct medication schedule and follow the requirements during treatment as directed by the doctor.

- The exposed person will be provided with appropriate information and advice on exposure prevention, benefits and risks.

- During the course of taking anti-viral drugs, there will be side effects of the drug and symptoms of primary infection such as fever, rash, nausea or vomiting, anemia, lymphadenopathy... Therefore, do not arbitrarily stop Treatment of mild and transient side effects, with severe side effects requiring immediate medical attention.

- An exposed person can transmit HIV to others even if the test is negative (window period). Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to prevent infection. Don't give blood, practice safe sex, practice safe injection, and don't breastfeed until HIV infection is confirmed or ruled out.

- HIV negative cases must still be retested after 1, 3 and 6 months.

Le Phuong - VnExpress