Handshake?

[greenandyellow]

Dr, Thank you so much for your help and reply.

I also wanted to ask you I shook hands with this guy who is gay (I do not know his HIV Status), it was like a push, pull, grab hand shake, lasted like 1 min, then he did it again!! Anyhow, I had a cut on my hand/finger but I dont think it was bleeding. However, I have just remembered that he also had a cut on his hand but have no idea if it was fresh or bleeding or if he even had any other bleeding cuts that I just didn't see as I really didn't look at his hands for long I also washed my hands right after so I don't know if there was any blood on my hands from him as I didn't check my hands before I washed them.

Please can you answer these two questions for me,,,

1) Was I at risk of HIV from this event?

2) Do I need testing for HIV from this event?

Very worried about this Dr please help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your last question inidcated a misunderstanding of how HIV is spread.  HIV is transmitted through unprotected anal or genital sex with an infected person or injection of infected material deep into tissue. The activity you describe is no risk for HIV an does not warrant concern or testing.

This will be the last answer. EWH

[greenandyellow]

Revised corrected version - ignore the previous one.

Dr, thanks again. So much appreciated. I have made an appointment with my Doctor to see if I can get some CBT. I am just trying to fill all these blanks in with reality, you have been such a big help though, enough that I am able to get out and get the CBT which before I wasn't sure I could.

One last question so sorry but this is really really causing me stress. I was playing a game of Chinese whispers, where you whisper something in to someone’s ear very close. Well a gay guy whispered something into my ear (I do not know his HIV Status) his mouth even touched my ear he whispered so close; I felt his breath in my ear and also what felt like spittle in my ear from him when he whispered. I did not check my ear or face for blood though, so have no idea if blood was in my ear. I am worried there might have been blood in his spittle gone into my ear or eyes etc or into the cut I had on my face from shaving a few hours ago from when he whispered into my ear.

Dr, Would you also give the same answer to this incident? No risk of HIV and no need to test for HIV?

[greenandyellow]

Dr, thanks again. So much appreciated. I have made an appointment with my Doctor to see if I can get some CBT. I am just trying to fill all these blanks in with reality, you have been such a big help though, enough that I am able to get out and get the CBT which before I wasn't sure I could.

One last question so sorry but this is really really causing me stress. I was playing a game of Chinese whispers, where you whisper something in to someone’s ear very close. Well a gay guy whispered something into my ear (I do not know his HIV Status) his mouth even touched my ear; I felt his breath in my ear and also what felt like spittle. I did not check my ear for blood though, so have no idea if blood was in my ear. I am worried there might have been blood from when he whispered into my ear.

Would you also give the same answer to this incident? No risk of HIV and no need to test for HIV?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, I would say precisely the same thing. You are being overly paranoid.  EWH

[greenandyellow]

Dr Hook, I am not sure if you saw my reply which was a question?

Thanks again, most appreciated and hope to hear back from you on this.

[greenandyellow]

Thanks Dr, would you also give the same answer in that there is no need to test for HIV and no risk of HIV for the fact that today a gay guy was washing my hair at the salon and waving his arms and hands next to me too and I had a cut on my hand only an hour old but it wasn’t bleeding that I could see and one from having a shave that morning on my face and I was worried maybe he had a cut on his hand and some blood might have flew off his hands or arms onto my cut or maybe into my eyes, nose, mouth or ears and/or maybe I had a cut on my head or maybe a pimple on my head and while he was washing my hair that he might have transferred blood into one of my pimples. I didn’t check for any blood on me anywhere nor did I check if he had any cuts.

Dr, would you also give the same answer in that there is no need to test for HIV and no risk of HIV with that situation too?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your OCD is getting the best of you.  You do not know that this person has HIV and statistically it is unlikely that he does.  Even if he did HIV is not spread by handshake.  That you or the person you shook hands with may have had cuts does not change this in any way. There is no risk an no need for testing. EWH