gross but not dangerous?

[johndoe13579]

My question....  I had a plumbing problem at my house and the plumber came over holding the snakes and plungers in his hands.  He was wearing cotton gloves and held out his hand for me to shake....  I shook his hand and now I am afraid that I may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis....

I washed my hands several times but am still worried.  My hands are dry but have no open wounds.

I am getting help for OCD / germophobia and feel this that this a case of my condition getting the best of me. I am working on that.... In the meantime I would like your thoughts on the "exposure".

My questions: 1) Am I at any risk for HIV (or hepatitis) from this encounter?  2) Is testing for HIV warranted?  3) based on this encounter do I need to worry about transmitting anything to my girlfriend.

Thanks.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

This does not make any difference in my opinion or advice.  Try to avoid contemplating tortuous reasons that the rules about transmission don't apply to you.  They do.

That will end this thread.  

[johndoe13579]

thank you for the response.  truly appreciated. i am working on the germophobia.

to clarify my concern about the exposure:  the plumber arrived at my house holding plungers / snakes by their dirty end and then shook my hand.  He touched these tools right before shaking my hand.  I was afraid that there might have been virus from the tools (sewage / material from other people's houses on the instruments) that got on his hands right before he shook my hands.  All the while he had cotton work gloves on....

Does that change your answers to my questions at all?

i will respect the rules of the forum and not post again...

thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome back to the forum.

HIV and viral hepatitis are not transmitted by shaking hands; it has never happened and you're not going to be the first in the world.  Also, plumbers probably are no more likely than anyone else to have viral contamination of the hands.  The answers to all 3 of your questions is a very firm no.

I'm glad you recognize that your "germophobia", warrants professional attention.  That problem is obvious given the nature of your 3 questions in the past few months on both this and the STD forum.  Given your involvement in health care, it may be even more limiting for you than for most people.  It can be a sign of serious and eventually debilitating mental health disorder (rent "The Aviator", the film about Howard Hughes, for an excellent illustration).

Please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums, precisely to limit anxiety-driven questions with little objective basis -- like all three of yours.  Don't risk wasting a posting fee on another one, which would be deleted without reply and without refund.

Best wishes for successful management of your OCD/germophobia.

HHH, MD