transmission question

[jocknba]

To whom it may concern,
First of all I want to thank you for the work you do in this site. I may asking a question that may sound funny.

I am happily married with my wife and have not been doing anything outside our relationship. I have been tested during my annual check up and have been cleared. I have developed I believe is OCD due to stress I have encountered years ago due to an experience I had before marriage. I have seen therapists to address this and have been good. suddenly go through imaginative mental roller coaster ride every now and then when I am presented with a situation that it was not under my control.

I was at my Gym after which I requested a new towel from the attendant and took a shower after which dried myself with the towel.  Before disposing the towel  to be collected I had the the gym therapist massage my back with same towel. Then I noticed possibly blood or something red on the  towel in an area that I feel may have not touched me. I am now scared that it was blood from the attendant or someone or it could be there before it was washed perviously,
1) Can Hiv be transmitted this way it looked dry and as far I know I didnt have any wounds or was not bleeding just
the towel possibly touching my penis my skin. Im so worried and wont have annual check up till next year
2) Am I just imagining things? I want to relax I have refrained from having any activity with my wife.
Can I just move on and love my wife again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No reason for concern, even if your therapist touched a popped pimple with a towel, with oil or with their hands.

This will need to end this thread.  EWH

[jocknba]

dear Doctor,
Thank you for your advise. I feel at ease now after reading is it safe to say that even if I had a pimple that may have pooped does not pose any alarm?

What if the therapist ttouched my pimple with the towel or oil?

no risks?

Thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help.  In reading your question, my sense is that your OCD is getting the best of you.  HIV is transmitted ONLY through penetrative genital or ano-genital sexual contact or through injection of infected material deep into tissue.  Is is not transmitted through clothing or on inanimate objects such as towels or bedsheets.

In answer to your specific questions:
1) Can Hiv be transmitted this way it looked dry and as far I know I didnt have any wounds or was not bleeding just
the towel possibly touching my penis my skin. Im so worried and wont have annual check up till next year
No, HIV cannot be transmitted in this way, even if the spot was blood and even if the blood contained HIV.

2) Am I just imagining things? I want to relax I have refrained from having any activity with my wife.
You may be imagining things.  I urge you to relax an not worry.  There is no reason to worry about sexual contact with your wife related to the event you describe (please note, I will not even call it an exposure- it was not).  Time to move on without concern.

I hope my comments are helpful. EWH