[Question #13900] Toilet seat

 
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1 months ago
My mom was at my house and used the bathroom. I used it after her. I'm not sure if I used it immediately after her but assume that I did. To my knowledge, she does not have HSV-1 or HSV-2 (no outbreaks, but never tested because testing was not a thing in her generation). I am a female. I sat down and used the bathroom after her. I stood up and saw that there were what looked like droplets on the front of the seat towards the boom of the the "U" of toilet seat. I don't know if these were urine or vaginal secretions. I'm also not sure if they touched my genitals. Can I get genital HSV-1 or HSV-2 this way? I ask because the surface was moist/had droplets, the timing (which may have been almost immediately after), my uncertainty re whether or not my genitals (mucous membranes) made contact and also my mom's unknown status.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
1 months ago
No, you cannot get HSV 1 or HSV 2 from this experience.  First, herpes is not transmitted via urine and almost never through vaginal secretions alone - it requires some skin to skin contact (where vaginal secretions might also be).  This just isn't something that you need to worry about at all.  Promise.
Terri
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