Aa
Strange question
Hi, I'm new here. I know this isn't the doctor's forum, but from reading the other posts I think the woman that answers questions here, Grace?, is a nurse, and I was wondering if she could be the one to answer this. I am such a nervous wreck that I need to hear the answer from someone who is credited to know what they are talking about.
Here's the story, please bear with me. So, my boyfriend's roommate in college has genital herpes type 2. And, being a guy... in college... he doesn't always wash his hands after going to the bathroom. I know this. So, he's always handling their door handle.
Last night, my boyfriend and I were spending the night together and he got up to shut the door for privacy, shutting it with the knob with his bare hands. He then came back and fingered me. (Sorry for the TMI)
My question is, is it possible to contract genital herpes this way? If my boyfriend touched the door knob his roommate with GH handles, and then touch my vaginal area right afterwards?
I've read on websites the herpes virus can live up to 8 hours on objects such as door handles. I am so worried about this.
If I can't contract it this way, how can you be sure? How long does the herpes virus live on inanimate objects?
If it can be contracted this way, what do you think my risk is of having actually contracted it?
I appreciate you answering this for me.
Here's the story, please bear with me. So, my boyfriend's roommate in college has genital herpes type 2. And, being a guy... in college... he doesn't always wash his hands after going to the bathroom. I know this. So, he's always handling their door handle.
Last night, my boyfriend and I were spending the night together and he got up to shut the door for privacy, shutting it with the knob with his bare hands. He then came back and fingered me. (Sorry for the TMI)
My question is, is it possible to contract genital herpes this way? If my boyfriend touched the door knob his roommate with GH handles, and then touch my vaginal area right afterwards?
I've read on websites the herpes virus can live up to 8 hours on objects such as door handles. I am so worried about this.
If I can't contract it this way, how can you be sure? How long does the herpes virus live on inanimate objects?
If it can be contracted this way, what do you think my risk is of having actually contracted it?
I appreciate you answering this for me.
Herpes virus can survive limited amounts of time outside the body as long as the virus is in a sutible environment. For example, puss on a toilet seat. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but my medical microbiology training leaves me confident that its true. Any dry environments will be too hostile for the virus to survive. So door knobs, etc won't keep it viable for long at all. Towels and wet clothes can hold the virus in a viable form for a bit. Don't share towels or wear other people's dirty clothes, but there are several reasons to not do that anyways. Don't use the same towel on your genitals and face if you have an outbreak.
You don't have to worry about it going through intact skin. Mucous membranes (mouth/ vaginal canal/ etc) are a bigger threat because they lack some barrier that healthy intact skin has. You could transfer herpes to your eyes by touching and then touching your eyes so better to avoid that. You can get a herpes infection that affects your cuticles of your fingers but that's pretty rare except for healthcare workers not using gloves or little kids with oral herpes sucking their thumbs.
Hope this helps.
You don't have to worry about it going through intact skin. Mucous membranes (mouth/ vaginal canal/ etc) are a bigger threat because they lack some barrier that healthy intact skin has. You could transfer herpes to your eyes by touching and then touching your eyes so better to avoid that. You can get a herpes infection that affects your cuticles of your fingers but that's pretty rare except for healthcare workers not using gloves or little kids with oral herpes sucking their thumbs.
Hope this helps.
no, this chain of events isn't going to happen. he'd never get enough virus on his hands to survive all that and then infect you.
grace
grace
I know. I'm sorry if I made it seem like people with herpes are "walking biohazards" because I know that's not the case.
ok... going off your response I have ONE more question. I apologize for all of them.
"the herpes virus can live for many hours on surfaces but that's not the point. it takes so much more than just coming in contact with it to get infected - it takes heat and friction to transmit."
if that's the case, then how come you both said it's not possible to get it that way from fingering? hypothetically, wouldn't I be able to get it since he touched the doorknob, PERHAPS got the virus on his hand, and then fingered me, which would create heat and friction?
I just want to clearly understand.
ok... going off your response I have ONE more question. I apologize for all of them.
"the herpes virus can live for many hours on surfaces but that's not the point. it takes so much more than just coming in contact with it to get infected - it takes heat and friction to transmit."
if that's the case, then how come you both said it's not possible to get it that way from fingering? hypothetically, wouldn't I be able to get it since he touched the doorknob, PERHAPS got the virus on his hand, and then fingered me, which would create heat and friction?
I just want to clearly understand.
your bf's room mate is not a walking biohazzard. He is not going to have enough virus on his hands from not washing them to put it on a surface for anyone to touch and then give to themselves. it just doesn't happen that way. The herpes virus is not like a cold virus germ, it's far more fragile and in much smaller amounts and just not going to be transmitted through routine day to day contact.
the herpes virus can live for many hours on surfaces but that's not the point. it takes so much more than just coming in contact with it to get infected - it takes heat and friction to transmit. it's also very easily killed with soap.
As I already said, unless you or your bf are having sex with someone who has herpes, you don't have to worry about contracting it through touching surfaces, shaking hands, sheets etc. Even oral herpes at your age is almost exclusively transmitted through romantic type kisses, not through sharing food and drinks.
grace
the herpes virus can live for many hours on surfaces but that's not the point. it takes so much more than just coming in contact with it to get infected - it takes heat and friction to transmit. it's also very easily killed with soap.
As I already said, unless you or your bf are having sex with someone who has herpes, you don't have to worry about contracting it through touching surfaces, shaking hands, sheets etc. Even oral herpes at your age is almost exclusively transmitted through romantic type kisses, not through sharing food and drinks.
grace
In fact, I don't believe this was answered by you or Grace, but do either of you know just how exactly long the virus can live on surfaces? Just to be informed about it.
It doesn't get the through the tough skin? But can't it live on it for at least the time it takes the go to the bathroom?
(Again, sorry for doing all these "what if" questions. Hence the username. I just like covering all my bases.)
(Again, sorry for doing all these "what if" questions. Hence the username. I just like covering all my bases.)
It doesn't matter the sex. Herpes doesn't get through the tough skin on our hands. No need to worry about this. If this was the case more people in the US would have it. Can you count schools, resturants, any public restroom like this. People don't wash their hands all the time and some of those are going to have some form of infection like Herpes. Not everything is going to lead to a risk. Its time to stop worrying about this. Your risk will come from having sex with a Herpes person. There is a reason we call it an STD :-)
ok. now again, please bear with me...
is my boyfriend at risk?
Say he always touches the door handles of the room or the bathroom door/stall handles, then directly touches his penis to go to the bathroom? any risk here?
for any man or woman at all in this situation?
is my boyfriend at risk?
Say he always touches the door handles of the room or the bathroom door/stall handles, then directly touches his penis to go to the bathroom? any risk here?
for any man or woman at all in this situation?
out of all the things that could be living on a doorknob in a college male's room, herpes is absolutely, positively not the concern.
unless you are having sex with someone who has hsv, you aren't going to get it.
no reason to worry over a lack of hand washing like this. If it was that easy to get herpes, 99% of us would have genital herpes I assure you.
grace
unless you are having sex with someone who has hsv, you aren't going to get it.
no reason to worry over a lack of hand washing like this. If it was that easy to get herpes, 99% of us would have genital herpes I assure you.
grace
Ah the good ol OCD. Yup I know the feelings and the fear. Don't have to tell me that. :-)
Okay. Let me give you another thread.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/herpes-from-mutual-masturbation/show/578943
Mutual masturbation. Same thing. Basically you would in theory be at risk but there is nothing out there to say you are. Its the same thing with a toliet seat. You only get an STD such as genital herpes from sex.
Lets put all the risks together okay?
He would have had to have a breakout currently at that time or be shedding the virus. He would have had to touch the exact area he was shedding the virus or the lesision to have put the virus on his hands. Then when he opened the bathroom door that door knob would have had to escape having the virus on it then to be put on the doorknob your BF touched. Then your bf would have HAD to pick up the virus had it on his skin taken off your panties or whatever clothes you had not losing the virus on his hand at all during this time and then slide into you with the infection still living on his hand.
You see all the different varibles working in your favor? The chances and risk here is extremely low. I am sure you would have a better chance at winning the lottery and being struck by lightning before you would have been infected.
Feel free to go to the Herpes or STD forums and there is a green box on the left and type in the search terms you are looking for. While I was working on your response here and I did type Herpes Doorknob and came up with another good response for you.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HSV-1-Transmission/show/996895
I hope this helps.
Okay. Let me give you another thread.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/herpes-from-mutual-masturbation/show/578943
Mutual masturbation. Same thing. Basically you would in theory be at risk but there is nothing out there to say you are. Its the same thing with a toliet seat. You only get an STD such as genital herpes from sex.
Lets put all the risks together okay?
He would have had to have a breakout currently at that time or be shedding the virus. He would have had to touch the exact area he was shedding the virus or the lesision to have put the virus on his hands. Then when he opened the bathroom door that door knob would have had to escape having the virus on it then to be put on the doorknob your BF touched. Then your bf would have HAD to pick up the virus had it on his skin taken off your panties or whatever clothes you had not losing the virus on his hand at all during this time and then slide into you with the infection still living on his hand.
You see all the different varibles working in your favor? The chances and risk here is extremely low. I am sure you would have a better chance at winning the lottery and being struck by lightning before you would have been infected.
Feel free to go to the Herpes or STD forums and there is a green box on the left and type in the search terms you are looking for. While I was working on your response here and I did type Herpes Doorknob and came up with another good response for you.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HSV-1-Transmission/show/996895
I hope this helps.
Also, " It doesn't even live on the hands that long either." the thing is, it was contact basically right after he touched the door handle.
Mistakeguy,
Thank you for taking the time to research this answer for me.
See, I still have a problem with the answer. (OCD, much?)
It says that STDs, including herpes are not spread through objects such as doorknobs, right? Well, could they possibly be saying that you won't get herpes on your hand from touching the doorknob? That's what my mind is telling me the answer is saying. You can see why I'm such a nervous wreck.
And I'm also still wondering why some sites say it can last up to 8 hours. :/
Thank you for taking the time to research this answer for me.
See, I still have a problem with the answer. (OCD, much?)
It says that STDs, including herpes are not spread through objects such as doorknobs, right? Well, could they possibly be saying that you won't get herpes on your hand from touching the doorknob? That's what my mind is telling me the answer is saying. You can see why I'm such a nervous wreck.
And I'm also still wondering why some sites say it can last up to 8 hours. :/
Hello
I know you want an answer from grace but I will give you a quick response to which I am sure if I say anything wrong besides a slap on the back of my head she will correct.
Herpes doesn't live that long once it is off the body. The only way to catch herpes is direct skin to skin contact. Thats why you can't get it off a toliet seat. It doesn't even live on the hands that long either. The risk is so extremely low. I would invite you to search over the STD/Herpes Expert forums. Those questions that were asked are free for you to read and get answers yourself. Dr. HHH, Dr. Hook, and Terri know what they are talking about and would tell you that you have no risk.
I went ahead and did a quick search for you to give you an Expert answer. You can just skip to Dr. Hook's answer and look at #4 which I have quoted below for you.
" 4. STDs including HPV and herpes are NOT spread through casual contact with inanimate objects, contaminated surfaces, etc. It just does not happen and fears about this are unfounded through vast experience. "
Hope it helps.
I know you want an answer from grace but I will give you a quick response to which I am sure if I say anything wrong besides a slap on the back of my head she will correct.
Herpes doesn't live that long once it is off the body. The only way to catch herpes is direct skin to skin contact. Thats why you can't get it off a toliet seat. It doesn't even live on the hands that long either. The risk is so extremely low. I would invite you to search over the STD/Herpes Expert forums. Those questions that were asked are free for you to read and get answers yourself. Dr. HHH, Dr. Hook, and Terri know what they are talking about and would tell you that you have no risk.
I went ahead and did a quick search for you to give you an Expert answer. You can just skip to Dr. Hook's answer and look at #4 which I have quoted below for you.
" 4. STDs including HPV and herpes are NOT spread through casual contact with inanimate objects, contaminated surfaces, etc. It just does not happen and fears about this are unfounded through vast experience. "
Hope it helps.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
