Hiv in environmental surfaces

Hi Dr's. I have another dumb doubt. I think that by now I may suffer with OCD or something about Hiv but I can't help worrying about this. It's also been very difficult to me to accept that I like men and maybe this is also guilt what I have. But anyway, I was wondering that if a person ejaculated and left residuals of semen in a doorknob and I touched the doorknob with a little cut in my finger, could Hiv be transmitted that way? Or how long does semen survive in order to infect outside the body? It's because this happened in an adult video store or peep show, I don't know how to call it. My cut was not bleeding but was very red at the moment. And also, the person which whom I was there frenchkissed me and by the moment I had a sore throat and also a tiny cut in my bottom lip which also didn't bleed. I also have to state that I didn't feel anything wet or fresh at the doorknob when I touched it to close and open the door when we finished frenchkissing. Thanks for all your help Dr's. You've been a lot of help to me.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

HIV has never been known to be transmitted by environmental contact.  Not only can the virus not survive, but it takes LOTS of HIV exposure to get infected.  (Even when HIV infected semen is ejacluated into a partner's vagina, the chance of transmission is only around 1 in 1,000.)  Nobody has ever been known or suspected to have caught HIV in the ways you describe.

I agree that both your questions on this forum suggest an abnormal level of worry, whether due to OCD or something else.  But do your best to get beyond this.  Select your sex partners with care and use condoms consistently for anal or vaginal sex with non-monogamous partners, and you can expect to go a lifetime without ever being at risk for HIV.  (And of course don't share drug injection equipment!)  Don't worry about any other possibilities.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[jrhotsun]

Thank you doctor, so this means I do not neet to test, right, or worry about having a tesy?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Of course not.

[jrhotsun]

Thank you very much Doctor for once again clarifying my dumb doubts about this illness. Regards.

[jrhotsun]

Dear Dr, I have one last doubt. Promise. I forgot to tell you also that the man which I frenchkissed in that room was masturbating himself but didn't ejaculate. If he left some of preseminal liquid on the doorknob and then I touched it with the cut, would that be considered a risk or is not a risk at all? Thank you very much for helping all of us because with this stuff in my head I'm only getting headaches very constantly.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

If you paid any attention at all to my reply above, you know the answer.  Does it help if I say it a second time?  OK, here it is:  to use your own words, "not a risk at all".

[canbycougar]

A related discussion, Continued worry was started.