Stupid Question

[Alex420]

Hi,

I know this is probably the stupidest you've heard, but I just want to know if it is possible for HIV to survive and infect if it had some semen on it from someone who may have used it in a hotel (Good one-Hilton, not a shady one), then it laid around and got dried, got into a wash, then a dryer, and then was put in my bathroom as I'm staying in the same hotel. (36 hours in all). I just happened to run a hand towel at the tip of my penis and am freaked out about whether HIV could have survived from a day and a half before, IF a HIV + person happened to spill his semen on it....Would I need to get tested? Is it possible to get inflicted in this way? Are  hotel towels safe to use from HIV standpoint? Please answer as this thought has just entered my head and refuses to leave....

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I don't mean to sound mean or insenstive, but where have you been living?  There aren't very many sixth graders who don't know how HIV is transmitted.

People who live in the same home as an HIV infected person, sharing towels, toilets, eating utensils, and life in general, for years on end, never get HIV unless they also are sex or needle-sharing partners of those people.  How can there possibly be any risk for the things you're asking about??

Please go do some basic reading before taking up any more forum users' time with this sort of stuff.  I will delete any further questions like this.

[Alex420]

Thanks Doc,

I had one more small incidence - In an office toilet, I cleaned the toilet seat with a lot of tissue roll, (I was holding the dry part). Although my fingers never actually touched the wet side, I picked my nose and the nose seemed to have some blood clot. Now I'm worried, if the wet part of the toilet roll could've touched my finger slightly, could it transmit through my nose (may've had some blood in the nose due to the clots I saw)..This really worries me..Can it transmit that way?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I deleted your new question.  What did you not understand about the last sentence of my previous reply?  One more and I will simply delete the entire thread without comment.

[Alex420]

Sorry for taking your time Doc. I've read about HIV transmission but sometimes fear enters you and refuses to leave with any logic which is why I wanted to hear this from a professional like you. I really appreciate you time.

[cc288866]

You are fine. You don't have HIV.

You describe a bunch of "could'ves" and scenarios in which HIV is not transferred. You're really overanalyzing your situation and misunderstanding how HIV is transmitted.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

They say there are no stupid questions.  However, as you realize yourself, this comes awfully close.  Of course no risk.  You couldn't get infected that way even if a known HIV infected person had just used the towel.  Of course don't get tested.  Forget it.

No further comments or discussion.

HHH, MD