Paranoid of HIV

I am a 20 year old Heterosexual male who has an extreme case of OCD. My problems all started 6 years ago when i was unable to have a bowel movement normally. nothing would work unless i stuck my finger up my butt. this has gone on for 3 years. is their any way i could contract hiv, hepatitis c, or any other stds by sticking my finger up my butt to use the bathrrom? also this past year i was rooming with a herion addict who would share needles with other users. we also shared a bathroom on a daily basis for 6 months. is their any way i could have gotten hiv, hep c, or any other stds from him by sticking my finger up my butt while using the bathroom? if i did share a bothroom with someone that was hiv positive or hep c positive could i contract it by doing my bathroom ritual? do hiv or hep c positive people leave behind the virus after using the bathroom on the toilet or in it? i am also worried about the possiblity of getting any of these viruses on my hand just by going through my normal day. is their any way that i could get hiv, hep c, or any other stds by not washing my hands before i stick my finger up my butt to use the bathroom? for instance, i went to the gym tonight and came home to use the bathroom, is their any way i could have got those viruses on my hand from the gym and gave it to myself by doing my bathroom ritual? if i do have a chance of contracting these viruses what are my chances?

how common is hiv and hep c? are they rare? what are the chances of getting them if you are heterosexual? how accurate is nucleic acid based tests such as the pcr test?

im sorry for all of the writting, i am just very scared. OCD has already ruined my life and i just cant take worrying about something else like hiv, aids, or hep c. please be specific as possible.

thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Whoa!  Indeed, your OCD is the only health problem in evidence here.

HIV, hepatitis C virus, and any other infection has to be caught from somewhere outside the body.  You cannot create an STD or any other infection by self manipulation of any kind.  And nobody ever caught HIV, hepatitis, or STDs by sharing bathrooms with infected people, unless they had sex with someone in the bathroom!

Hep C is not sexually transmitted except rarely among gay men who have traumatic (bloody) anal sexual activity.  How common is HIV?  Depends on where you are.  There are about 56,000 new HIV infections each year in the United States.  It's much more common in many other countries, e.g. in southern Africa.

I hope you are under professional care for your OCD.  Clearly that is the health problem of greatest significance in your life.  If you are not, please seek professional attention.  But assuming you aren't sexually involved with other men, you have no worries about HIV, hepatitis, or any other STD.

I'm not going to risk reinforcing your OCD-related anxieties by having a prolonged discussion.  Let's avoid any "yes but" or "what if" follow-up questions.

Good luck--  HHH, MD