The old “HIV-infected needle” hoax is back, buzzing around the Internet and warning people to beware of seats in the drivers’ lounge, fuel pump handles, phone booth coin returns, movie theatre seats and other places.
Most of the stories claim the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “reported similar incidents” about improperly discarded needles and syringes. According to the CDC in Atlanta, it’s mostly pure bunk.
The CDC received inquiries more than a year ago about a variety of reports or warnings about used needles left by HIV-infected injection drug users in such places. According to the CDC Web site, these reports and warnings have been circulated on the Internet and by e-mail and fax.
Some reports have falsely indicated that CDC “confirmed” the presence of HIV in the needles. The majority of these reports and warnings appear to have no foundation in fact. CDC officials cite one incident in Virginia of a needle stick from a small-gauge needle (believed to be an insulin needle) in a coin return slot of a pay phone.
The local police department investigated the incident. Several days later, after a report of this police action appeared in the local newspaper, a needle was found in a vending machine but did not cause a needle-stick injury.
Discarded needles are sometimes found outside of health care settings. These needles are believed to have been discarded by persons who use insulin or are injection drug users. Occasionally the “public” and certain groups of workers, such as sanitation workers or housekeeping staff, may sustain needle-stick injuries involving inappropriately discarded needles.
Needle-stick injuries can transfer blood and blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, but the risk of transmission from discarded needles is extremely low.
CDC is not aware of any cases where HIV has been transmitted by a needle-stick injury outside a health care setting. However, anyone who is injured from a needle stick in a community setting should contact their physician or go to an emergency room as soon as possible.
