I got pricked by a nail that was in a shoe (from a shoebox) I was trying on, could I get HIV from it?

About 4-5 days ago I was buying new shoes. I reached into the shoe to take out the stuffing paper, and there was a nail (the kind you use to hang a picture on the wall), and it pricked my finger. It didn't draw any blood from me, but i'm scared that it might have had HIV or another disease on it.

What are the chances that I could get infected with HIV or some other serious illness in that way?

Should I be worried? Should I get tested?

(yes I did ask before, but am still scared, so wanted to ask again and present my question a bit better)

also, how can I respond to my own question for other people to see? thanks

It did puncture (I guess). I mean, I had to pull it out. it wasn't deep or anything, just stuck in there a little bit

absolutely no way you could get HIV this way.
Do not be worried about it that way..
Should you get tested? Only if you have had possible exposure in the usual manner ...
Are you posting an urban legend for fun? Dunno.

You should be fine especially if it didn't puncture your skin. Most disease especially viruses can not live outside the human body for very long. Even if there was fresh blood on the nail you still have a remotely thin chance of contacting something. If you washed your hands immediately after I wouldn't give it a second though. You might cause yourself symptoms if you stress so much over it.

You can edit your question and add more info but can't answer it.

the aids virus only survives a few seconds on the outside so you have nothing to worry about

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Very few infectious diseases can live outside the body, especially for any period of time. Unless that nail had been in HIV-infected fluid (blood, semen or breastmilk) within the last three minutes, it could not have contained anything to give you HIV.

Getting tested, however, might calm your mind, so it would be worth that, especially since it's free in a lot of clinics and usually covered by insurance.

You might want to update your tetanus shot though. just to be safe in that area.

If you're still that worried, go visit your doctor and ask for a test.

As for hepatitis, that's even less likely than HIV. While you're at the doctor, you should ask about the Hep A/B vaccines and get started on those. They're good for everyone.

FYI: This sounds a bit like an urban legend (http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/pay...

I hope that helps and calms your fears.

rusty nail? be more concerned with tetanus... have you these shots? you get HIV/AIDS more directly from intimate sexual contact and sharing of needles, rare instances of blood transfusion... Hep B, and Hep C are more or less contracted the same way...
Hep A is food borne - no problem with that.