[Question #13950] Indirect STI risk from bidet handle, hand-to-anal contact

1 months ago

Hi doctor, I would like to ask about a possible STI exposure through indirect contact.

After a bowel movement, I clean my anal area using water from a public bidet spray, while also using my hand to assist with washing ( hand gentle rubbing of the anal area).

During this process, I touch the bidet spray handle with my hand, and then immediately use the same hand to directly touch and clean my anal area.

1. My concern is not about the water itself, but about hand contact: if there were contaminated bodily fluids (e.g., from an infected person) on the handle, could any STI (such as syphilis, HIV, HPV, chlamydia, or gonorrhea) be transmitted through this hand-to-anal contact?

2. Also, does it make any difference whether water is continuously running during contact versus no water (i.e., touching the bidet handle and then directly touching the anal area without water)?

3. Does this type of contact carry any risk or exposure? and would any testing be necessary?

Thank you.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

Welcome back to the forum.

Looking at your previous questions 8 months ago, and this one, it seems you are way over concerned about STI risks from nonsexual or otherwise zero risk exposures. STI bacteria and viruses do not survive well outside the body and definitely not when infected body fluids dry out. Even the most unhygienic public toilets are zero risk from use, regardless of what surfaces are touched or if those fingers then enter your mouth, eyes, genitals, or anus. There has never been a reliably diagnosed case of any STI in anyone who only had exposures of this sort.

For those reasons, you are at zero risk for any and all STIs from the three events described and for sure you do not need to be tested for anything.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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1 months ago

Hi Dr. Handsfield,

Thank you again for your previous reassurance. It really helped.

If I may, I’d like to follow up with a specific real-life situation that happened today. My wife had a small finger cut from a knife at home about 5 hours earlier (not covered with a bandage), and later used a public toilet in a crowded shopping mall where her finger touched some surfaces.

So basically, I’m trying to understand whether having a cut would change the risk in this kind of indirect contact situation.

Would this kind of situation — specifically with a minor, several-hours-old cut — pose any risk at all for infections like HIV, syphilis, hepatitis C or any other STIs? Or is this still considered a zero-risk exposure despite the presence of a small cut/wound?

From your previous reply and other similar questions I’ve read, I understand this should still be zero risk for all STIs — could you kindly confirm if that’s correct?

Also, even if the cut were more recent (for example, within minutes), would it still be considered no risk in this type of indirect contact?

Thanks again for your time and guidance.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

From a scientific standpoint, nobody can say such events are truly zero risk: it is rarely possible to prove a negative observation. If someone had both intercourse and fingering with an infected person and acquires HIV, how can you know which event transmitted the virus? However, there has never been a case of HIV, syphilis, or any STI in anyone whose only exposure was the kind you describe. Definitely it is "still considered a zero risk exposure despite the present of a small cut/wound." That includes recent as well as older cuts and wounds.---

1 months ago

I should clarify earlier about our current status: My wife and I have been in a mutual monogamous relationship for over a year, with absolutely no sexual contact of any kind with anyone else (including absolutely no any massage/fingering/mutual masturbation with anyone else), we both had negative full STI testing last month, so we understand we were not infected and clean prior to these recent public toilet events.

However, all tests were done before toilet events. That' why I'm still asking.

So, my questions are strictly about indirect environmental contact in daily life (e.g, public toilet surfaces). When you mentioned fingering as an example, it made me worry that I might've misunderstood and that our situation could be comparable. (I'm nervous)

Clarify our situations: a) touch toilet bidet, then the same hand assist to clean anal ( with running water)

b) my wife touched toilet surfaces with a finger that had a small cut from earlier (5 to 8 hours ago)

Q1: Are these situations, with no any sexual contact of any kind, are totally no exposure, no risk at all for HIV or any STIs?

Q2: HIV and STIs are not transmitted via environmental surfaces- even if contaminated- or via casual hand contact or hand transfer in daily life, even if small cut are present. correct?

Q3: If so, I understand that no testing is needed and there's no concern for our future health as we're going to try for a baby very soon.

1 months ago

Sorry, just wanted to add one last quick confirmation if that’s okay.

Q4: My wife does not need any STI testing for her specific situation, correct?

Thanks so much!!!!!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

I understood all these circumstances and my replies have taken all of them into account.

Q1) "Are these situations...no risk at all for HIV or any STIs?" Yes.

Q2, Q3, Q4) These statements are exactly right. I'm glad you now understand.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. Please note the forum policy against repeated questions on the same topic. This is your third about your nonsexual or other zero risk exposures to HIV or other STIs and be your last along these lines. Repetitive questions may be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. The forum sponsor doesn't want repeated payment for questions already answered (or whose answers are obvious from previous discussions) and repeated answers tend to prolong rather than relieve anxiety. In addition, such questions have reduced educational value for other users, one of the forum's goals. Thank you for your understanding.

I do hope this discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.

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