Hi doctors. 

I'm not sure who you would like to answer this question but I'm absolutely certain, 100% certain, that we all would answer this in exactly the same way - there is absolutely no risk of any STD from your experience in the restroom waste basket.  Let's say there was a tampon in the basket.  We don't know that for sure, right?  Well, if there was, the odds are that it was not from a person with herpes.  Let's take it the next step - let's say the tampon was used by a person with genital herpes.  The main site of viral shedding in women is the labia, not the cervix or vagina.  But let's take it another step and say that this person was shedding virus from the cervix.  So viral shedding happens on about 13% of days out of the year,  on average.  Now let's take it a step further.  Let's say this woman happened to be shedding virus from her cervix at the moment she was using the tampon.  Virus dies very rapidly when off the human body AND the tampon is likely to absorb virus that might be present as it is carried in cervical secretions.  So let's say the worst case scenario - it was from a woman who happened to have herpes who happened to be shedding virus who happened to be shedding virus from her cervix who just happened to have come into the restroom right before you were there vomiting.  I don't know about you, but if I throw up and have some mucous that had not broken off coming from my mouth, I don't suck it back into my mouth, do you?? I spit it out again!  What a yucky topic!  My point is, even if you put together all of these really remote statistical probabilities, the spit isn't going to be coming back into your mouth and there is just no way you are going to get infected with an STD.  The same scenarios that I described certainly apply to all other STDs.  I'm sure you get the picture here.  You are certainly NOT at risk from this experience. 

Terri
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Thank you Terri for the in depth response. Very reassuring. I guess I just went over the top with thinking. I don't believe I sucked up any residual spit...I just thought what if some spit strand touched something and did break off and hit my lips.  im assuming a test isn't necessary? (Have been tested in the past, clean bill of health). And for future knowledge and reference (if this isn't asking another question of range) is there a known time frame in which the herpes virus dies outside of the body? 

*didnt break off

Yes, Jenna, I think whatever is going on STD wise has nothing to do with your experience in the bathroom. The information about how long herpes lives off the body is all over the place, nothing really reliable.  Short message is you don't need to worry about that question. 
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