Expert: Terry B - 1/16/2009

Question
Dear Expert,

I am new to this forum! Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to all you!

I am scared over the incident told below!

Recently, I was diagnosed with hemorrhoids so I always wipe off my vagina and anus after urinating. I always bring my own toilet paper with me to make sure that I would not catch anything from the public toilet. But last week, when I attended the farewell party and I had to went to the public toilet, I forgot to bring the my toilet paper so I had to use the toilet tissue available there in the toilet, and I did not check the toilet paper for fluids, after wiping vagina and anus, I realized that the paper was damp, and there were some red blot on the roll.

When I got home, the fear was gradually getting controlled over me. I have been worried over the risk of catching HIV from using that toilet paper. I am afraid that someone who used the roll before me may have pour infected blood into the roll, or he could eject sperm into the roll....Then when I used that roll to wipe my vagina and anus, the blood or sperm could enter my body via the vagina or my bleeding anus. I am scared to death to think about this incident.

My question is: Could HIV transmit this way? Assuming that the toilet paper was soaked with HIV infected blood or sperm. Could HIV live on the paper tissue?

I have read from the Internet and some sites stated that HIV can not live outside the body for a few seconds.

Please help me! I am scared now!

Thank you,

NhaDep


Answer
Dear NhaDep:

Peace.  First, thanks for coming in and asking your question.  Now on for an answer and a few suggestions.

1) There's nothing in toilet paper that would kill HIV - but my nonprofessional experience with toilet tissue suggests that when it gets wet - from any reason - it degrades significantly.  It would seem reasonable that if someone had poured infected blood or semen on the paper, you would have noticed when taking it off the roll.  HIV can remain infectious outside the body as long as it is inside the intact cells where it reproduces - which means in the fluids which transmit it - blood, semen, vaginal secretions.

2) The amount to which you would be exposed if some trace fluid were unnoticed on the paper would be so small as to pose no significant risk.  Damp and spot of red on the roll before use is different from "covered with" or "saturated" with fluids.  Remember that the amount, duration of exposure, and route of transmission are key in an exposure becoming an infection.  

3) If you want reliable information on HIV/AIDS from the internet, go to reliable sources.  I highly recommend www.avert.org, www.thebody.com, www.unaids.org as great sites with more information than you'll ever use.

4) If, after reading better information on HIV and transmission, you find your fears persist, I suggest talking with your doctor.  The degree of fear you've described seems like it might get in the way of your happiness, and there's help for that too.


Best to you and yours,

Terry