STD exposure through touching panties, lubricant bottle, and masturbating?

[JMNYC]

Dear Dr. Handsfield, and Dr. Hook:

I feel overwhelmed by the contradictory information on the Internet. Some sites, even seemingly reputable ones, make it seem that you can very easily contract an STD. Even the CDC website makes it seem that STDs can be contracted quite easily.

OK, here's the scenario: I had a private lap dance from a stripper in a foreign country. The dance was pretty tame, and I did not let the stripper touch me at all. I was just interested in watching. After the dance she wanted to do more. She laid down and I touched her vagina through her panties with my left hand, while I masturbated with my right hand. I have four main concerns that I would like answers to:

1. Though I never touched her vagina directly (only through panties for maybe 30 seconds), is it possible that I got enough vaginal fluid on my fingers to have possible passed an STD to elsewhere on my body? I may have inadvertently touched my penis with that left hand, but I did not use it to masturbate.

2. The stripper had a bottle of KY lubricant that I used to masturbate. Is it possible that I could contract an STD from touching the bottle and then my penis? From some of the research I have done it seems that the moisture of the lubricant could keep either bacteria or viruses alive longer and pose a potential transmission risk even 30 minutes or more after somebody touched it with contaminated fluids. Is this true? How long could STD bacterias and viruses live in the lubricant?

3. 12 hours after this encounter I did not sleep well and was very hot. I think it was anxiety, but feared it could have been a fever from my exposure to some STD virus or bacteria. Is this possible? Do symptoms present that early?

4. In your view, is this safe sex or irresponsible? I don't planning on doing it again because of the guilt, but I'm curious exactly what is safe sex these days.

Thank you!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the STD Forum.  Your situation, like that of many of our clients represents a great example of the power of the internet not only to inform but also to mislead.  While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong.  In addition, sadly, many internet sites which mean to do well with their information actually miscommunicate through use of what I call "scare tactics".  These don't do much.

Your exposures were safe sex.  Nothing you describe suggests to me that you have any need for concern of for testing.  With that, let's work through your specific questions.

1.  STDs are not spread through clothing or material, even if the material which is touched is or becomes wet.

2.  there are many factors which affect the survival of micro organisms including the amount of moisture present, the temperature, the sort of chemicals present, etc.  You will not get any STD from touching the KY jelly tube or using KY jelly that comes out of a tube.

3.  There are no STDs which cause symptoms within 24 hours of exposure.  Anxiety and temperature can do this however.

4.  As I said above, this was completely safe sex.  No need for concern

Take care.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Pubic lice can be caught with virtually any proximity and can even be acquired through contact with soiled bed clothes.  That said, this would be a most unusual way to get them.  If you got them, you would see them crawling on your pubic hair or skin or would see the eggs, called "nits" on your pubic hair.  No lice seen and no nits (tiny white eggs) noted, no lice. EWH

[JMNYC]

Thank you Dr. Hook. I agree with your assessment of the Internet, and I appreciate your clear answers. I was worried about STD from the KY bottle mostly because a seemingly reputable site actually said that lubricant extends the life of HPV and HSV. Any how, thanks for clearing that up!

Can I ask one more thing? What about pubic lice? How close does the "close contact" need to be? I was kneeling down and had my pants and underwear on, but pulled down to expose genitals. Mine and the woman's genitals never touched or even came close, and I never touched the bed sheets or other stuff in the room, except perhaps with my hand.

Thanks again and be well,

JMNYC