Thanks for your question and concern. According to a recent study by the AVERT, the transmission of HIV from the discarded needles is extremely low. The study says that if a HIV transmission is to be happened by this way, then the needle containing infected blood should have extremely high amount of the HIV infectious virus. Thenalso if someone was affected by the above said high amount of virus then also there is only 0.4 percent of chance only.
According to another recent study by Terrance Higgins Trust it is quite a difficult task for the HIV virus to pass on to someone except in specific ways. The example for this is the transmission of HIV virus through the way of unprotected sexual intercourse. So it would be a reassuring for you to know that the pricking of a needle in a cinema theatre would not cause a risk of transmission of the HIV virus.
The different ways by which a person gets affected by the HIV virus are
- Through the unprotected penetrative intercourse who is an infected person of the HIV virus.
- Through the transfusion or the injection of the contaminated blood or the blood products, through the donation of the artificial semen during the time of artificial insemination, through the skin grafts or at the time of organ transplantation, organs taken from someone affected by HIV infection contain HIV virus in it.
- Through the Trans placental way. HIV virus has the ability to pass from the mother (infected with HIV) to the child born to her. This may be at the time of the course of pregnancy or at the time of birth or through the breast feeding.
- Through the usage of the unsterilized needles and other injection equipment which has been once used by someone who has the HIV infection.
If you are still having confusions or concerned that you may be affected by the HIV infection, then you may get it tested at the local GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinic. It will be a happy news for you to hear that the report by AVERT states that many people who have been tested for the HIV infection have been worrying unnecessarily as the result came as positive.
Good luck.