[Question #9611] Toilet

31 months ago

I know you've answered this in the context of people merely sitting on the toilet with their buttock and thighs as the main point of contact, but my facts are a bit different. I put a liner down, and sat down and realized I felt something cold on my labia minora. I realized some kind of liquid had penetrated the paper and was touching me (so my genitals were in direct contact with whatever this was, not just the skin of my thighs or buttocks). I sat up and tried to clean myself off. I think the contact was for maybe 3 seconds at most.

1. If this were some kind of vaginal secretion, am I at risk of any STIs (chlamydia and/or herpes)?
2. If this were urine, at am at the risk of any STIs (chlamydia and/or herpes)?
3. I woke up with a bit of dull pain in the affected area. Is this something I should worry about?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

30 months ago

So if I understand your post correctly, the paper was still between your labia and the liquid. Is that correct? If yes, then the paper should act as a barrier for the virus even if the liquid came through or at least most of any virus that might be present. In all likelihood, the liquid was urine which is sterile. I honestly don't think that this is something that you need to worry about. I will admit that normally people's labia don't come in direct contact with the toilet seat - normally, they are in the hole in the toilet - perhaps your labia brushed against the seat as you were sitting down?

I'm in Vietnam right now and thought I would have better internet where we are staying - so sorry for the delay in answering your post.

Terri

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30 months ago

I think the reason why I'm worried is because most people don't manage to miss the toilet hole (I couldn't see it through the paper) and have their genitals touch mystery liquid (urine? discharge?) through paper on the seat. I can't imagine that this is studied or a common fact pattern. I guess another reason why I'm worried is due to answers I've seen regarding the possibility of fomite transmission through wet towels and sex toys (but not fingers?)? Why is that? I'm trying to tell myself it was just urine and not some kind of discharge and that the contact was only for a second or two. Should I get tested?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

30 months ago

Sex toys go into people's genitals, and wet towels MAY be directly used to dry genitals that have sores. This is not the situation with you. You can test if you wish but beware of false positives - they are incredibly common and if you were my patient with this situation, I would advise against testing for that reason. But if you continue to worry, you certainly could and if you get a low positive, have it confirmed

Terri

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30 months ago

Okay, so what do you think the odds are that I got something like herpes?

Should I just try to forget about this? I am trying to tell myself it was just sterile urine I that my labia made contact with

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

30 months ago

1 in a million. yes, you should just move on from this experience and believe that you did not acquire herpes at this encounter. I surely do hope you can do that. If it were me in this situation, I wouldn't give it a second thought, honestly

Terri

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