HIV from open wound in Dark Room

I'm glad you reached out because I can tell from your writing that you're dealing with troubling symptoms and feeling depressed. How are you feeling today? Have you seen a doctor to rule out any other reasons for your symptoms? I hope I can provide some information that helps you.



It sounds like you are concerned about a cut on your foot coming into contact with surfaces (floors, etc.) in a steam room, and you are wondering if that could have transmitted HIV. First, we must remember there is a lot of misinformation about how HIV is transmitted. HIV is not expected to live for long at all outside the body, making environmental transmission (like in a shower or on the floor) virtually non-existent. This means HIV cannot be transmitted through contact with everyday surfaces- more about that here: https://h-i-v.net/myths-misconceptions . The five fluids HIV can be transmitted through are breast milk, blood, precum, semen, and anal and vaginal secretions if they come in contact with a mucus membrane - more about that here: https://h-i-v.net/transmission. HIV cannot be transmitted through sweat or saliva.


There are messages that you may have heard from others or from the media that can make it seem like people in the LGBTQIA+ community and those living with HIV are a threat to those around them, and this is a misconception - more on that here: https://h-i-v.net/?p=2683 - so I am so grateful you asked and started this conversation. I hope this helps to provide some clarity and ease your mind. Please let us know how your results turn out, and if there's anything else I can provide!


- Liz (Team Member)

Hi Liz


Thanks for your help here.


I totally appreciate this isn't a usual route for transmission, but on speaking to the hotel -the dark room is a place where many people have unprotected sexual encounters. So it was likely the floor was covered in many different semen from men with unknown hiv status from earlier in the day or whilst I was there (as it is apparently a large room)


This is not a normal environment, it's warm, pitch dark and wet - so a place where hiv can live longer. For transmission it could be possible here? My cut was also quite deep and was actively bleeding.


I did a HIV test at 34 days which was negative. (4th gen test).


Since that test, I've been having extreme tension headaches that won't go away, itching, nausea and lack of appetite, furry tounge and fevers. My glands are still swollen but are not as bad as they were before. I've also got a dry cough and sore throat.


I will do another HIV test at 45 days because it's possible my body didn't produce antibodies in time for my 34 day test. Im also aware some people don't produce the p24 protein of the virus. So that isn't a reliable way to diagnose the infection. Also false negatives are possible in the window period.


It's not normal to have a viral illness like this that can't be diagnosed. I just want some treatment to stop these symptoms. It's been a horrible past 3 weeks, I feel like death. It's nothing like a flu or anything I've had before.


Maybe this is a new strain of the virus? I'm not a doctor but I'm trying to understand why they can't find it in my blood at 5 weeks. Maybe the test was faulty?

well sounds like you did the right thing you got tested so now you are just waiting on the results prayers for a negative result

I did a test at 34 days which was negative. But since my appetite has come back and I'm feeling a little bit better now, maybe I need to test again?


I can't understand if the test was potentially wrong, or if it's not picked up the p24.


Some people take longer to create antibodies, which I think is why mine has not come up as positive yet.


Tomorrow will be 40 days. I want to wait until 45.