Hello Dr Bob,

my name is Adrian, and you are my last chance, that my life come back to normal things. Sorry for my english. Please answer to my questions. I'm starting to loose my mind. First of all, I'm obsessed with cleanliness, and this is why I need your help.

1) 3 weeks ago I was in a public park restroom. Suddenly, a boy, hit me once (punch very hard) in my face. I had 4 fractured bones, and blood began flowing from the nose and mouth. It was only this punch. I ran out of restroom, where my sweet wife, help me. She saw nothing on my cheek (blood or other liquid), not a scratch. Only an ugly under eye inflammation. After this, she said that my risk is 0 (zero, nada, nothing). I'm thinking to all kinds of SF scenarious: when that guy hit, maybe he had blood on his hand, maybe urine, but I repeat, my wife so

nothing on my right face. Skin was no broken. Maybe, possible blood from his hand, start to fly, and somehow get into my bloodstream, but I had no scrach on the face.

2) After that we went to ER room. I harvest my nails very often. While I was there, I saw several badly wounded men, without get into direct contact with one of them. I'm thinking that somehow I've

touch the doorknod, and somehow I get blood on my fingers, and the put fingers in my mouth. When I was leaving a doctor gave me some prescriptions. I'm thinking that she was wearing glove, and that

gloves were with blood, from all that injured people. But on that papers she wrote, my wife and I saw nothing what seems to be blood (red, orange...). She also gave me some radiological films that

I've made. I'm thinking that she touched that films, and I come into direct contact with blood, and then putting my fingers in my mouth. But those films were touched even by my wife, and other

doctors, and my wife told me that the films, seems to be clean.

3) After that we went to a dentist room, to check my face bones, and teeth. This is where I think I was exposed. This doctor, looked at the radiological films, that I've received from previous ER

room, and then for some check-up, he put his index finger in my mouth, without wearing any gloves, EVEN IF AT THAT TIME I HAD BLOOD ON MY MOUTH.. My wife report me, that doctor began their night

shift (and I was his first client), and that she saw he had the perfect manicure, and hands clean. He kept his finger in my mouth for about 4-5 seconds, and then I saw that he was very carefully

keep this finger separated from his others 4 fingers, just like he want to clean his finger after our appoitment. I'm thinking that he had some scratch on his finger, or maybe blood..I'm paranoid

about this; but my wife is sure the doctor had his hand clean.

I've talk to my wife about these possible exposures, and she honest said to me that these were not exposures, and my risks are 0.00000. She even told me, that if she think that I was exposed to some blood, she forced me to wear condoms, when practice sex; but she thinks that I'm fine, and I couldn't get HIV from what I've described

you.

I really need you honest opinion, to help me continue with my life.

I want to donate some money.

Adrian

Hello Adrian,

I absolutely agree with your wife!

1. Risk: "zero, nada, nothing."

2. Ditto #1 above.

3. Ditto #1 and #2 above.

Adrian, there is no doubt your fears are completely irrational and totally unwarranted. I strongly urge you to seek psychological counseling (psychotherapy) to help you cope with and eventually conquer these irrational fears. Being "obsessed with cleanliness" to the point you fear acquiring HIV from doorknobs, prescription pads or health care personnel is pathological. HIV is not your problem, but you do have a significant problem that requires medical intervention: fear of HIV!

Thanks for your interest in making a donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. Donation information can be found on the foundation's Web site at www.concertedeffort.org.

Be well Adrian. Stop worrying about a disease you could not possibly have!

Dr. Bob