[Question #6009] Dirty toilet
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71 months ago
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Good evening and thank you for all the great work you do. I have HIV OCD and had a situation that grossed me out so I just wanted to get an expert opinion on it. I went to a public bathroom in a mall downtown, there are often homeless people that use it as well. I went to pee at one of the urinals and I noticed my laces were untied and there was a large pool of urine right next to my feet.
I didn’t think much of it, but I tied my laces maybe 10 minutes later. If there was any HIV infected semen in that pool of urine and it transferred to my shoelaces, would I have been exposed to it through a small cut in my finger used to tie my shoelaces?
I am currently in therapy for my OCD and making good progress on it, just still have moments when I am unsure if it just my OCD or it is a real risk, therefore I am asking the experts.
Kind regards!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
71 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your confidence in our service. I'll be glad to reassure you that the event you describe is a no risk event and your concerns are more reflective of your OCD than a true risk for STI.
Certainly the public toilet you describe was not a pleasant place to relieve yourself. At the same time, the likelihood that the puddle which your shoe laces landed in contained HIV is negligible- most people do not have HIV, urine from infected persons typically does not contain HIV, and even if it did, exposure to the environment would make the virus non-infectious virtually immediately. That you may have had a cut on your hand that contacted the shoelace changes nothing - this was still a no risk event. There is no need for concern and no need for testing.
I hope that this information is helpful to you. Please do not worry. Take care. EWH
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71 months ago
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Thank you so much for the prompt answer, it is very appreciated. I have previously read that urine is not a fluid that poses a risk for HIV infection. Thank you for confirming that.
Please allow me two follow-up questions:
1) I know you already answered this, but just to reassure my OCD anxiety, hypothetically, if there was HIV-infected semen in that pool of urine, that would still be no risk for me touching my laces with small cut on my finger?
2) regarding superficial cuts or scratches, is it true these do not provide access to the bloodstream, therefore, HIV cannot get into the bloodstream through them, even if, say blood gets in contact with such a scratch(papercut or just a small graze)?
I do play basketball and sometimes I get small scratches on my fingers, hands, arms,etc. and other players get them too, so unless I see another player bleeding heavily, I don’t want to stop playing just because I see another player with a scratch or small cut on his skin. Is this a fair assesment
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
71 months ago
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Repeating your questions is a manifestation of your OCD. Replies will be brief:
1. Correct
2. Correct
Please work with your care provider to address your OCD
EWH
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71 months ago
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Thank you for the prompt replied and the great service, my apologies for the repetitive question, just wanted to confirm you understood my question was about possible semen in the urine, not the urine itself.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
71 months ago
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It was understood, both the first and the second and now the 3rd time you have asked.
This is the 3rd response to your questions. Thus, as per Forum Guidelines, this thread will now be closed. Please do not worry about the events you have described. Work to address your OCD. Take care. EWH
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71 months ago
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Thank you dr Hook, I have a session coming up and will definitely work on it. I hope others can get value from your responses and ease their worries as well.
All the best.