HIV, herpes and environmental transmission

[WEdwards77]

Heya Doctors,

I would like your help in understanding my risk for HIV transmission.

This is the situation that sent me to the internet with questions: I recently masturbated and at completion I went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. As I was using the toilet I noticed the beginning of a herpes outbreak around the edge of the head of my penis (I've had herpes for several years but only 2 not so bad outbreaks). The reason I am worried is because I live in a house and share a bathroom with several other men, all of whom are sexually active, some with other men. I worry that I may have gotten semen from somewhere in the house ( my flatmates semen) onto my herpes outbreak somehow and that this might be a means of transmission. Because I was in the bathroom immediately before I masturbated. What if semen was left on the handles or the sink etc?

Could you tell me if this incident is a risk? And more generally could you tell me if I am at any risk of HIV transmission as long as I don't have sex  (or share injection equipment obviously) with my mates?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your probabilities are off.  The odds any particular sexually active woman has HIV are closer to 1 in 1,000, and even that's too high in most parts of the country.  The negative test result at 33-35 days is closer to 95-98% reliable, not 90%.  The average risk of HIV transmission, female to male, has been calculated at 1 in 2,000; your having HSV-2 increases that figure to 1 in 1,000.  Thus, the chance you have HIV calculates as 0.001 x 0.05 x 0.001 = 0.00000005.  That's 1 chance in 2 million.  Even using your own figures, it would be 0.002 x 0.0033 x 0.1 = 0.00000066, or 1 chance in 15,000.

Either way, the odds are zero you have HIV for all practical purposes.  Most people would not feel a need for additional testing, and based on such an exposure, I would not have recommended HIV testing at all.  But feel free to have another test after 6-8 weeks if you'll feel better with the additional negative result.

[WEdwards77]

Dr. Do I need to pay another question fee for my most recent question to be answered?

Thank you

[WEdwards77]

Thanks doctor. One more question: I had unprotected vaginal sex with a woman 33-35 days before I had an HIV test [which was negative]. From what I can gather, unprotected vaginal sex has a risk of 1 in 1000 but since I have HSV I have doubled my risk. So that is a risk of 1 in 500. The chance she had hiv was 1 in 300. The chance my 33-35 day test is accurate is 90%. Are these numbers right? From a professional medical opinion, would you advise further HIV testing?

Thanks for your knowledge and service. -WEdwards

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the HIV forum.

Nobody in the world ever caught HIV from the sort of events you describe.  There is absolutely no risk. And for sure if you don't have sex or share injection equipment, you will never catch HIV. It just doesn't happen.

I hope this helps.  Best wishes--

HHH, MD