Thought I've read a stat somewhere that it for an HIV positive person, The transmission rate is something like 1 transmission for every 70 sexual interactions.





You can have sex with HIV positive people and not get the disease.



But I definitely would not risk it.

First, you dont catch AIDS. You catch HIV. AIDS is kind of an end stage HIV infection.

Second, chill the fuck out. You wont get it from shaing hands or going to the gym or using a public phone or being in the subway during a sit in for HIV infected gay dudes.

Third, go get some paxil or prozac or something.  seriously, you sound like a dependent wife.

By contact with a know positive:

Blood transfusion - 90% chance

Needle Sharing (injection drugs) - 0.67% chance

Insertive penile / vaginal intercourse - 0.05% chance

Hand shake - ummm.....yeah. you shouldnt be worrying about this stuff.

see link from CDC CDC HIV transmission risks

...or MRSA

A coworker of mine adopted 2 HIV positive orphans from Ethiopia.

And it's not just addicts. Any user of intravenous drugs will do that. Even the weekend warriors.

OP,

Seriously don't worry about it.  Friend of mine is a surgeon and during one of his procedures, the clamp slipped on a HIV patient while he was working in the chest cavity, and it caught him.  Cleaned his wound best he could.  He has been tested multiple times, and he did NOT get the virus. Same for friends that have had needle sticks when working in hospitals.  Doctors, nurses, police officers, fireman, paramedics, these people get exposed to blood all the time.  Thankfully, the HIV virus is fragile.  This doesn't mean someone shouldn't be carefree about it, quite the opposite.  If I worked in the clinical side of health care, I would be extremely careful, but in the end when its your time - it's your time.

Advice?  First, the healthcare industry probably isn't a good career choice for you.  Hopefully you don't work in healthcare.  Second, go to a doctor and get a prescription for Prozac etc., as this will calm and control your cycle of fear.  Seriously, you need to talk to your doctor about seeing an OCD specialist.  Third, when working out use gloves.  This will help settle your fear.  Keep a few pair and cycle through them through the week.  Wash them in a wash machine when you get home.  Throw some bleach in there if it makes you feel better.  Again, these viruses are weak.  This should end your worry.  At some point your brain will finally accept the fact that we all die of something, and this will all go away.  Good luck and don't worry!  

I thought constant worrying was a symptom of AIDS?

One of my high school classmates got HIV from a needle stick when she was working in a research lab in the early 1980s when there were no effective treatments.  She died of AIDS.

OP is a Marine and he's afraid of a little HIV?







lol

If you look at CDC stats for new aids cases the chances of a straight man getting aids are really low... the stats can get even lower depending on race and if you're not having sex with IV drug users.

HIV is not the issue here. Its seeking the appropriate resources to deal with ocd/anxiety issues. There are some pretty cruel responses in this thread for a fellow arfcomer that could use a little support.

Flame away.