Thanks for your interest in my question. Please read my text in its
entirety; the WAY to answer my question is very particular and
important. Also, please make sure you know what you're talking about.
Thanks.

I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder. For that reason, I
haven't been to a restaurant or a bar since 1996.

Most restaurant/bar staff handle money and food/drinks without ever
washing their hands. Many even handle glasses by the rim when placing
them on a customer's table. I know money is a carrier of
micro-organisms.

QUESTION: Is there anyting you can say to reassure me that I won't
contract anything permanent from that careless but universal food
handling? (like herpes, hepatitis or something like that. I don't mind
cold and flus)

BEFORE ANSWERING, please be aware that being an obsessive person, I
don't want to hear things like "you know, we're always surrounded by
germs, etc". I want to DECREASE my stress level, not increase it.
Please only provide facts that could help me enjoy these activities
again. If this does not sound scientific to you, well it isn't.

Thanks for taking the time to accomodate this difficult customer.

Terry,

One of my best friends has grappled with OCD for most of her life. Her
concern about restaurant hygiene is such that she stopped eating out.
Frankly, I don't think it is likely that a stranger on the Internet
will be able to talk you into feeling comfortable in a situation where
you sense danger.

My friend is doing much better now that she's found a medication that
can help alleviate some of her symptoms. But she still doesn't want to
go to restaurants. Sometimes the way we cope is by structuring our
lives in such a way as to avoid certain things that cause distress.
There's no shame in that.

I am hopeful that you will soon be able to enjoy going out and
socializing at a restaurant. I am sure you have been told that the
guidance of a professional and /or the use of certain medicines would
be helpful. I second that. Please note the disclaimer below and
understand that I am not a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist,
psychotherapist, or even a parapsychologist.

1] The human body is amazingly well-designed to keep you healthy. Skin
is tough and highly resistant to attack by microbes. The openings
commonly used in a restaurant-- that's pretty much limited to your
mouth and maybe your nose-- are not hospitable environments for
nasties like hepatitis and a host of others. Anything that might get
past there would have to contend with the acid bath of the stomach
followed by the alkaline bath of the intestines.

2]  The herpes virus is susceptible to destruction by ultraviolet
radiation. Sunlight and fluorescent light destroy the little bastard
in short order, a matter of seconds in sunlight and not too much
longer under fluorescents. Kitchens are almost exclusively lighted
with fluorescents.

3] Most any microbe that might want to cause you harm cannot survive
for long in a dry environment. Glass surfaces are rather unpleasant
places for germs to hang around and they tend to die off quickly.

4] Heat kills. Wet heat kills better.

5] So few people are affected with illness from restaurants compared
to how many people eat out, the odds are incalculably small that you
would be a victim. I personally have never had a problem and I do not
know anyone who has.

6] Any server that handles your drink or food incorrectly should be
politely asked to provide a replacement. If they are rude or
uncooperative, report the offense to the manager and take your
business elsewhere. I have nver had a waiter or waitress handle my
glass by the rim. I have seen bartenders do it when very busy, but by
then I was pretty much in the bag and could not have cared much less
about the vehicle for bringing more of the one true nectar that seems
to prove God's existence, Laphroaig, to my waiting lips.

Now the dilemma-- where to go?

I'd recommend a pho restaurant. Pho is a Viet/Cambodian noodle soup
(boiling water, good) usually with a less than fancy decor
(fluorescents, good) and they have disposable chopsticks (sanitary,
good). It is available with a small variety of meats but tastes rather
the same all over the US.

Should pho not be available where you are, just stick with hot soup
(comfort food!) the first time out. If you feel more comfortable
bringing your own silverware, nobody should raise an eyebrow much. I
bring my own syrup to the pancake place (I don't know what the goop
they provide is, but it has nothing to do with a maple tree) and
sometimes remember to bring my own chopsticks to my sushi joint.

Best wishes.

I understand that if you are sufferering from OCD you require a
thought which will act as a "cure" to your anxiety about this
particular subject.

I'm assuming that your an intelligent person so I will not try to
trick you with some illogical solution.

I will first offer a solution for Herpes and Hepatitis (to get those
ones out of the way), I will then attempt to offer a universal
solution for your problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes

"Herpes is contracted through direct skin contact (not necessarily in
the genital area) with an infected person."

I'm assuming your non concerned about contracting genital herpes from
a glass of water, but even with non-genital herpes DIRECT contact with
the skin is required for an infection to occur.

Here is another source
http://www.herpes.com/Transmission.shtml

"Herpes is spread by direct skin to skin contact. Unlike a flu virus
that you can get through the air, herpes spreads by direct contact,
that is, directly from the site of infection to the site of contact.
For example, if you have a cold sore and kiss someone, you can
transfer the virus to their mouth. Similarly, if you have active
genital herpes and have vaginal or anal intercourse, you can give your
partner genital herpes. Finally, if you have a cold sore and put your
mouth on your partners genitals (oral sex), you can give your partner
genital herpes."

As for hepatitis, there are 3 types you are probably thinking about:
A, B, and C. Hepatitis B is tranfered only thru sexual intercourse and
direct exposure to other bodily fluids. Hepatitis C is only
transferable thru blood to blood content.

As for hepatitis A (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_A), it can
be spread thru contaminated foods, outbreaks are very very rare but I
don't think that is a very comforting statement to you. There is very
good news, if haven't been already, you can be vaccinated against
hepatitis A (and B and C) and never have to worry about contracting
it, if you are OCD this is probably a very good idea.

As for universal re-assurance, any dangerous and permenant disease
which spreads easily thru non-direct contact is vaccinated against in
most 1st world countries (where are you from). Talk to your doctor,
ask what you are vaccinated against, and ask about getting vaccinated
to those diseases which you are not immune to already and are worried
about. In 1st world countries they do not allow very scary and very
contagious diseases to spread (they got rid of polio, and small pox a
long time ago).

I hope I helped, take care.

As for this particular situation, eat in places where the person
taking the cash has nothing to do with preparing or serving your meal.
 Another tip - if you know any maintenance type people - plumbing,
heating, cooling, etc. ask them what restaurants in your city have the
cleanest kitchens and the most meticulous servers - believe me, they
know!  Even the best places clean up for the inspectors but no one
bothers to clean up for the plumber and the employees do not go out of
their way to do a better job when the repairman is there!

I don't think I can alleviate your anxiety but I can tell you that the
more you avoid germs and bacteria, the more you use antibacterial
cleansers and keep yourself in a sterile environment, the more apt you
are to get get seriously ill.  Your attempts to avoid these things are
keeping your immune system from growing strong and maintaining your
health.  If and when you do encounter a more serious germ or bacteria,
your system may be too weak to handle it.  Sorry I can't be of more
help.