Toilet paper question..Please calm my fear

[Cbelle811]

Hi,

Yes, I have posted on this site before and have HIV OCD...but it helps to hear a professional assess your risk personally and will definitely calm my fears a bit...

So the situation is...I used a public restroom (at a restaurant)...usually I wipe the seat down and/or put paper down before I sit. I was in quite a rush, and did not visibly see anything on the toilet seat so I sat down to urinate right away. As I got up when I was done, I realized both of my legs were wet with someone else's urine. I was grossed out to say the least, and then I grabbed some toilet paper to wipe my legs.

Now, I don't remember if I then (mistakenly) used the same toilet paper to give myself one last wipe....but lets just say, worst case scenario that I DID do this, and wiped front to back with this wet toilet paper with someone else's urine...what would be my risk of infection? I don't know how long the urine was sitting there. It could have been less than a few minutes, although nobody was using the toilet before I walked in.

I know that urine cannot transmit the virus, but what if there was a small amount of blood in the urine that I could not see? If I did not see any red colored drops on the toilet seat before I sat down, then it could be assumed that there was no "visible" blood in the urine, is this correct? Sorry to sound like a crazy person...I just need some reassurance from a professional that I may be over-reacting....

Do you think I have a risk?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to our Forum. My sense from your post is that you are already aware that you are over reacting a bit here.  As you point out, HIV is not passed through contact with urine. This generalization extends even to urine which contains blood.  further HIV dies in the environment very quickly.  finally if HIV containing liquid were to get on toilet paper which then cam in contact with you, the virus would not be effectively transmitted, staying instead on the TP.

Bottom line, as distressing as it is to sit in another person's urine on a public toilet, there is no risk for HIV, or any other STD from the exposure.  You do not need to worry and do not need testing.  EWH

[Cbelle811]

Ok, thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Correct.  EWH

[Cbelle811]

Hi Doc.

One last question if you can please answer. Is it safe to assume that the outside of the vagina and rectum (Sphincter) are not considered a mucous membranes? If infection were to take place in worst case scenario, it would have to be INSIDE my body, correct?

[Cbelle811]

Thank you for your answer!