Can a pin prick transmit diseases?

[jonsir]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So maybe some of you can shed some light on this, as I'm ignorant when it comes to this.

Anyway, I work in a nursing home facility. This morning, I was helping one of the old ladies pin some clothes together (she was going to make something for her grandson). While I was doing it, I pricked myself twice w/ some pins hanging on the cloth. When I looked, there was no blood or anything, but it stung me for a while. She had told me on some previous occasions that she pricked herself many times with those pins (the same ones on the cloth). Do you think there is a chance that I could have contracted something from the pins, or am I being overly paranoid? Even if she did prick herself and she had a disease, the pin would have been exposed to the air for at least 24 hours or so before I pricked myself with them. I don't think she has any infectious diseases, but I'm not so sure. What should I do? I didn't want to ask her openly whether she had medical problems because I didn't want to sound rude. She seems well, other than the fact that she has diabetes and is losing sight because of this.

Pls no rude comments. I'm very serious here, and the more I think about it, the more I worry. Again, I don't know much about other diseases that can spread through needles other than HIV, Hep B,C--but I need blood contact for that kind of thing, don't I?

 

[H_Caulfield]

You're fine. Pricks with syringes are serious because the infected specimen is kept in an airtight space and then re-injected subcutaneously, and even then the odds are small (hiv comes to mind; a shockingly small percentage of healthcare workers that are stuck by needles from known infectious patients are actually infected themselves). So... a PIN, wide open in the air, from an old lady in a nursing home...?? Come on, let's be serious...

I hope you're on this site just to have that question answered, and that you don't actually hope to make a career out of this stuff. You've got to change your outlook if you do...

Good luck.

 

[mojojojo]

If there was dried blood or some other bodily fluid on it from sometime in the last two weeks and she had active Hepatitis B and you haven't had your Hep B shots, then.... maybe. But seriously, your answer is that you will be fine.

I agree with my literary friend Holden who posed above. You WILL get stuck by a needle sometime during med school or your career, especially depending what field you go into. You'll take the proper precautions first, if it happens you'll follow up with infectious diseases, maybe take some pills, and you'll be fine. Consider it your initiation into medicine, courtesy of a sweet old (non-infectious) lady.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'd be more concerned about tetanus. Make sure your shots are up to date.

Edited: see below.

 

[Stitch626]

I thought we dispelled the myth that was rust was responsible for contraction of tetanus.

 

[Law2Doc]

I thought we dispelled the myth that was rust was responsible for contraction of tetanus.

Fair enough - you're right. Change my response from rusty pin to dirty pin. My bad. At any rate impaling one'sself with an old metal unclean object might suggest need for a tetanus shot.

 

[Blade28]

Solid needles (like suture needles) can transmit disease if there's bodily fluid on the metal - doesn't sound like that in this case though.

It's not just regular syringe needles that can transmit HIV/hep B/C - in surgery, a needlestick can do the same.

 

[2Sexy4MedSchool]

Isn't this really the sort of question that only a urologist or plastic surgeon is qualified to answer?

But if not, well, my wife says that she and all of her girfriends agree that good things do come in small packages, and that always makes me feel better, so you shouldn't worry so much. I'm sure you make up for it with a great personality.

 

[Law2Doc]

Isn't this really the sort of question that only a urologist or plastic surgeon is qualified to answer?

But if not, well, my wife says that she and all of her girfriends agree that good things do come in small packages, and that always makes me feel better,

That's not likely what they say when you aren't in earshot.

 

[mysophobe]

I've been stuck twice over the last year and a half. The transmission risk for solid needles is only 0.38% or something.

EDIT: One was my fault, the other time I got stabbed by someone suturing.

 

[carrigallen]

According to a recent lecture, there are absolutely no CDC reports of any HIV or Hep C transmission by a simple or suture needle. So a pinprick is probably harmless, especially if it did not draw any blood. However, there is a definite risk of viral transmission with an open-bore needle such as a syringe, I think the risk is like 1/88.

 

[Blade28]

I've been stuck twice over the last year and a half. The transmission risk for solid needles is only 0.38% or something.

For what virus?

I thought it was higher for hep B and hep C (versus HIV).

 

[mysophobe]

Found the numbers in a thingy I got when they sent me to Occ Health.

HIV transmission rates are 0.3% subcutaneous and 0.09% mucous membrane

Hep-B is 6-24% in a nonimmunized person

Hep-C is 1-10%

I think you're safe. 😉

 

[Blade28]

I learned the quick and dirty rule:

0.3% transmission rate for HIV
3% for hep C
30% for hep B

Close enough. 🙂

 

[mysophobe]

I like that better. It's easier to remember and like you said, close enough.