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Worried HIV in public bathroom
Hello Doctor,
I am EXTREMELY worried and even though I know that this is not a typical mode of HIV transmission, the theoretical risk is not letting me live. I went to the public bathroom at grand central station in NYC during my lunch and there were quite a few bums loitering and while at the standing urinal one of the bums was masturbating himself right beside me. It was drizzling and wet that day and I was wearing leather loafer shoes and my feet was cold and slightly wet even before I was in that bathroom. Once I got back to work and took off my shoes, I noticed that the interior/exterior leather, the dr scholls cushion, and my socks were soaked even more on both feet. And to ease my mind, after work I went back to that bathroom to ask if they clean the floor and the guy told me that they do with solution/bleach a few times a day. I saw that very same bum still there and several other men masturbating(and I am not seeing things) so I assumed its fairly common there .I couldn’t help but panic that I could have stepped on ejaculate from him or others while in that bathroom and it soaked through my shoes just as the rain water or urine on the floor did. My feet are extremely chapped with skin peeling/flapping back, my toes are reddish in between and I DID BLEED a week earlier from this enough to see dried blood on my toes. I can’t help fear that if the ejaculate could have absorbed into my wet/moist sock and stayed active long enough to get into my bloodstream should there have been a tear while walking. Please help me out and ease my fear.. Am I safe and have nothing to worry about because if the ejaculate landed on the floor it would inactivate the HIV in seconds? Or does it take longer? Would my cold moist feet inactivate it? are public men's urinals safe ? Would you worry?
Thank you!
I am EXTREMELY worried and even though I know that this is not a typical mode of HIV transmission, the theoretical risk is not letting me live. I went to the public bathroom at grand central station in NYC during my lunch and there were quite a few bums loitering and while at the standing urinal one of the bums was masturbating himself right beside me. It was drizzling and wet that day and I was wearing leather loafer shoes and my feet was cold and slightly wet even before I was in that bathroom. Once I got back to work and took off my shoes, I noticed that the interior/exterior leather, the dr scholls cushion, and my socks were soaked even more on both feet. And to ease my mind, after work I went back to that bathroom to ask if they clean the floor and the guy told me that they do with solution/bleach a few times a day. I saw that very same bum still there and several other men masturbating(and I am not seeing things) so I assumed its fairly common there .I couldn’t help but panic that I could have stepped on ejaculate from him or others while in that bathroom and it soaked through my shoes just as the rain water or urine on the floor did. My feet are extremely chapped with skin peeling/flapping back, my toes are reddish in between and I DID BLEED a week earlier from this enough to see dried blood on my toes. I can’t help fear that if the ejaculate could have absorbed into my wet/moist sock and stayed active long enough to get into my bloodstream should there have been a tear while walking. Please help me out and ease my fear.. Am I safe and have nothing to worry about because if the ejaculate landed on the floor it would inactivate the HIV in seconds? Or does it take longer? Would my cold moist feet inactivate it? are public men's urinals safe ? Would you worry?
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum.
Sometimes the title chosen for a question provides almost all the information required for an accurate reply. In this case "Worried HIV in public bathroom": If you have had unprotected vaginal or anal sex (and maybe oral sex) in a public bathroom, you might be at risk for HIV. Otherwise, it is unlikely there is any risk. HIV is not transmitted by nonsexual exposures to contaminated surfaces etc.
Now I have read the question itself. Guess what? There is simply no risk. Yes, "public men's urinals" are safe. You really have to stretch reason to even assume a possibility of a transmission risk. It doesn't matter how long HIV survives in the environment; it is not transmitted by the indirect routes you describe. Look at it this way: in households with HIV infected people, even when family members share bathrooms, eating utensils, etc for years on end, nobody ever catches the virus. It simply doesn't happen.
I'm not going to respond to any "yes but" or "what if" follow-up questions. There is no risk, period. Please move on with no worries about HIV in this circumstance.
HHH, MD
Sometimes the title chosen for a question provides almost all the information required for an accurate reply. In this case "Worried HIV in public bathroom": If you have had unprotected vaginal or anal sex (and maybe oral sex) in a public bathroom, you might be at risk for HIV. Otherwise, it is unlikely there is any risk. HIV is not transmitted by nonsexual exposures to contaminated surfaces etc.
Now I have read the question itself. Guess what? There is simply no risk. Yes, "public men's urinals" are safe. You really have to stretch reason to even assume a possibility of a transmission risk. It doesn't matter how long HIV survives in the environment; it is not transmitted by the indirect routes you describe. Look at it this way: in households with HIV infected people, even when family members share bathrooms, eating utensils, etc for years on end, nobody ever catches the virus. It simply doesn't happen.
I'm not going to respond to any "yes but" or "what if" follow-up questions. There is no risk, period. Please move on with no worries about HIV in this circumstance.
HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your fears are irrational. It is not normal to have such thoughts despite such overwhelming evidence (and your intellectual understanding that there is no risk).
My "guidance" is that you clearly need professional mental health care about this. Feel free to report back after you have seen an appropriate counselor. I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism. But this is not a counseling service and I will delete any other follow-up comments.
My "guidance" is that you clearly need professional mental health care about this. Feel free to report back after you have seen an appropriate counselor. I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism. But this is not a counseling service and I will delete any other follow-up comments.
Doctor thank you again ... I read your responses and have great respect! But Im afraid of my soaked sock and HIV lingering on it..i read that HIV needs to dry in order not to pose a threat assuming an open wound exists.. This event keeps replaying in my mind and the guy flashing and pointing his penis at me.. That's I wanted to know about ejaculate hiv inactivating when it hit the floor and by the time it were to soak into my
sock.
If you don't want to answer that please at least answer the following so that I don't continue irrational fears of everyday things as this has become a big burden on my life and people around me.
I started to fear eating in restaurants because "what if" they cut themselves when preparing my food and a small amount of blood could end up on my tomatoes or sandwich... Please help
I will have no more questions after this.. I appreciate any guidance
sock.
If you don't want to answer that please at least answer the following so that I don't continue irrational fears of everyday things as this has become a big burden on my life and people around me.
I started to fear eating in restaurants because "what if" they cut themselves when preparing my food and a small amount of blood could end up on my tomatoes or sandwich... Please help
I will have no more questions after this.. I appreciate any guidance
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