HIV Transmission @ HIV Clinic?

Hello, doctor! I had a quick question. I went into a an HIV clinic that does free testing. It's in East Los Angeles iN a pretty grimy/dirty area. I went in, and realized it is also a clinic for people that have HIV/AIDS. So the clinic itself is filled with HIV/AIDS patients. So I went to use the restroom and sat on the toilet to pee. I can't remember if I used a toilet seat cover because this was a while ago.

*So for arguments sake, let's just say I sat on the toilet seat WITHOUT a seat cover DIRECTLY after a person with HIV sat down. And I'm worrying if there was blood on the toilet seat and since I have some acne on my butt and do have genital herpes (I am a woman) if the HIV infected blood could have gotten inside me.

*I know HIV infected blood does not live very long outside of the body, but I walked RIGHT into the restroom as someone with HIV was leaving. So it wasn't very long.

*I worry about this so much and just found this great site to help me out. I suffer from OCD and wonder if this is just an OCD episode or a real concern. The doctor on another site says to similar questions that it has to be sufficient blood of an HIV+ person and a large enough wound/cut/scratch/lesion.Please give me your advice and explain (if possible) how much blood has to be on the seat and how big of a wound/lesion/cut do I have to have for HIV to get into me?

I had gotten tested about 10 times the last year, and I worry I have to again. (OCD again)

*Correct me if I'm wrong, but when "they" say a mucous membrane like in the vagina, that part doesn't touch the toilet seat, correct? Neither the mucous membrane of an anus? I'm not so good with human anatomy as you can tell.

I appreciate any reassurance or help. And if you think I need to seek counseling for OCD (if you think i demonstrate it, please let me know and I will seek the help)

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Responding to the title you chose for your question, before reading anything else:  The only way to catch HIV in an HIV clinic is to have unprotected sex in the clinic, or to share needles with an infected person while there.  Assuming your question discusses just being in the clinic, meeting people, shaking hands, or having tests done, the answer is no:  there is no risk whatsoever.

Now I have read the question.  Guess what.

Nobody has ever caught HIV from a toilet seat or from any kind of exposure to blood or body secretions in the environment.  It doesn't matter whether or how long HIV survives in such settings, whether mucous membranes touch toilet seats, or anything else along these lines:  transmission never happens.  In the households of people with HIV, family members who are not sex partners ever become infected, despite sharing kitchens, bathrooms, eating and drinking utensils, etc for years on end.

As I suspect you know, this is just your OCD talking.  I won't comment on whether or not you would benefit from counseling about it.  But whenever someone raises that possibility him/herself, it's almost always a good idea.

There won't be any follow-up discussion on this thread.  The non-risk for HIV from such sorts of non-exposure events has been discussed innumerable times.  Use the search link if you need additional information about it.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[S2K1980]

One last question... if i have acne and/or vaginal herpes lesions or cuts/scrapes that may or may not have been actively bleeding, does that come into play since the blood is flowing out and not in? So it would be harder for HIV blood to get inside ( is this why HIV is easier to get with pricked with a needle or syringe because it's forced INSIDE your bloodstream, not flowing out?) Wouldn't you have to rub the blood vigorously in your lesion/wound cut to even consider infection??

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I saw this additional comment before I responded above.  It makes no difference in my opinion or advice.  Here is a thread that explains some of the scientific reasons that HIV is not transmitted in the ways you fear.  Start reading with the follow-up comment dated December 14:  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1119533

That will be all for this thread. Accept the good news and move on.

[S2K1980]

Thank you very much. I warmly appreciate your response. Just to clear up (I know you said no more on this thread, and I won't after this) you stated "In the households of people with HIV, family members who are not sex partners ever become infected, despite sharing kitchens, bathrooms, eating and drinking utensils, etc for years on end." Did you mean NEVER  become infected? You put "ever" become infected. I was just confused. Thank you very much. Hope you're having a great day!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Never.  Sorry for the typo.

[S2K1980]

No problem, thank you!

Best wishes :)