A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control

Close

Search

Home / Answered Questions / Hello.. Yesterday my friend splashed water on my hands. I do not know his hiv status. I had an open cut in my hand which was not bleeding. It was dark so i was unable to see whether he had any bleeding cut or wound in his hands. Can i acquire hiv considering he may be hiv positive since i do not know his hiv status and the water he splashed on my hands might have blood from the cut in his hand which could have possibly entered into my bloodstream through the open cut in my hand? Do i need to get tested from this exposure?

Hello.. Yesterday my friend splashed water on my hands. I do not know his hiv status. I had an open cut in my hand which was not bleeding. It was dark so i was unable to see whether he had any bleeding cut or wound in his hands. Can i acquire hiv considering he may be hiv positive since i do not know his hiv status and the water he splashed on my hands might have blood from the cut in his hand which could have possibly entered into my bloodstream through the open cut in my hand? Do i need to get tested from this exposure?

Hi there,

You do not need to get tested from this exposure. The HIV virus dies within seconds of leaving the human body, and does not live in air or water. If your friend did have HIV, he could not pass it to you from splashing water on you, even if you both had cuts on your hands. We are not seeing HIV being transmitted this way in practice at all. 

I hope this helps ease your mind about this splash – let us know if you have further questions.

Health Nurse