I am an adult male, who as far as I know I have no STDs/blood borne diseases however I have been sexually active (with protection) relatively frequently.

I think I am probably worrying unnecessarily, but for reassurance could I check that with infants/young children an infrequent visitor like myself would pose no risk to them of any STDs or blood borne eg HIV/Hep B/Hep C/HTLV/HSV etc through casual contact? Even if I had these diseases and we were both unvaccinated against Hep B etc.

Thankyou so very much Drs.

The bottom line is that your statement "worrying unnecessarily" is exactly right. There is no risk whatever to the kids from the contacts you describe with them.

Neither children nor any other person are at the slightest risk for HIV or other blood borne infection from other than sex or direct sharing of blood, as in shared drug injection equipment, transfusion, etc. No teacher, day care worker, nurse, doctor (including surgeons) ever are required by either law or public health policies or recommendations to be negative for STDs, HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), or any other blood borne infection. Their nonsexual contacts and patients are not at risk. In addition, the household partners and contacts of people with HIV or HBV never become infected despite years of shared kitchens, toilets, showers, towels, or beds (assuming they aren't sex or needle-sharing partners). The same is true of all STDs:  it never happens. While vaccination against HBV is a good idea for everyone, the reason is to protect themselves against infection if exposed, not to reduce transmission risk to others.

The only advice I would give is that if you have a wound with substantial bleeding, you not directly contact the kids (or any other person) until and unless the bleeding is controlled, the wound bandaged, etc. This applies to people with and without known blood borne infection. Even if infected, a lapse in this would carry little risk for others; it's still a simple, common sense precaution.

Finally, given your sexual history, you might want to consider testing (e.g. urine for gonorrhea and chlamydia, blood tests for HIV and syphilis), which are recommended at least once in a while in all persons who are in (or have had) non-monogamous sexual relationships. And perhaps HBV and HPV immunization. But be clear that I raise this not because of the kids or other non-intimate contacts, but for your own health and to protect future sex partners.

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

HHH, MD

Just one thing on your second last point about bandaging a wound bleeding profusely - that definitely makes sense, however made me think of an incident several years back when I was living in a shared house with one other person who was very sexually active (and probably a drug user). One time I was using the hand towel in the shared bathroom and noticed it was quite red in places (big red patches), with what looked like blood (maybe from a bad shaving cut for instance). It wasn’t soaked in blood or anything and I think it was dried, but it makes me anxious now to think about that as my elderly parents were also visiting me at the time - so may have used that towel. They had at the time (and still have) several quite bad chronic medical conditions too.

But am I right in thinking that your advice about taking precautions with profusely bleeding wounds is just simple common sense advice as you said, and doesn’t meaningfully change the risk of that “incident” I described above as being a risk to myself or my parents for any of the  bloodborne diseases I mentioned above, or any blood borne disease? (assuming my previous housemate was infected). Ie it’s not something to realistically worry about for either myself or my parents per your first response about household contacts?  And there are no medical conditions they could have even rare ones that would meaningfully increase this risk?

Thank you again Dr for your kind reassurance.

I already answered your "But am I right..." question. Re-read my sentence starting "Even if infected...."

Your parents' HBV vaccination status is irrelevant if you don't have it (and probably not relevant even then, for the reasons already discussed). Various medical conditions can affect the severity of HBV, HIV or other viruses once infected, but in general do not elevate the likelihood of catching them.

Both the content and tone of your questions indicate you are way over worried about all this. Probably nothing I can say will resolve those worries as effectively as would be the knowledge you are not infected yourself. Get tested for HIV and HBV -- and while you're at it, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

This is what I’ve read on here from some of your previous advice on here in the past (I looked it up) ie any increase in exposure risk for non-sex/non-needles would not be meaningful in real life for someone who had such a condition, so just wanted to check that is unchanged.

Thank you much again Dr for this, just need this final point then will feel reassured, thanks.

Nothing has changed in our advice that "exposure risk for non-sex/non-needles would not be meaningful in real life" -- which I also said in my comments above.

Thanks for the thanks; I'm glad to have helped (at least a little bit, I hope). That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. Best wishes and stay safe.