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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
acute hiv symptoms (hands/rash)
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum is limited to prevention of HIV and to safe sex in general. If you believe you might have been exposed to HIV and want help to judge your risk, would like advice about HIV testing, or have questions about the effectiveness of condoms or the risks associated with specific sexual practices, this is the site for you.
IMPORTANT
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
acute hiv symptoms (hands/rash)
by fishtaxi, May 18, 2007 12:00AM
I am a straight male and had unprotected sex with a girl four weeks ago. Two weeks after exposure, my finger tips began to peel and became raw. Also, my palms have developed red spots and my hands have been sweating profusely. In addition, i had a mild rash on my chest which has dissappeared and a mild sore throat that comes and goes. The main reason that this bothers me is because i found a website which stated peeling, red spots and sweating of the hands as signs of acute hiv.
I got tested three weeks after exposure and recieved my results yesterday. I was negative for hiv. I understand that is too soon to be tested given the "window period," but i was wondering if these symptoms are common in acute hiv infection. Also, can i have any reassurance from a test taken three weeks following exposure?
I got tested three weeks after exposure and recieved my results yesterday. I was negative for hiv. I understand that is too soon to be tested given the "window period," but i was wondering if these symptoms are common in acute hiv infection. Also, can i have any reassurance from a test taken three weeks following exposure?
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., May 18, 2007 12:00AM
, May 18, 2007 12:00AM
The symptoms you describe do not suggest HIV. As I just said in another thread, virtually every symptom caused by most medical illnesses also can occur in ARS, which is why symptoms almost never are a valid indicator of new HIV infection. You describe no reason whatsoever to be concerned about HIV. But since you are, have another test 6 weeks after the exposure. You can be sure of a negative result.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Good luck-- HHH, MD
God Bless
http://www.hivtest.org/subindex.cfm?FuseAction=FAQ#8
You didn't need testing at all. Do you imagine that every person in the US who has sex with a new, casual partner needs to run out and be HIV tested? Your chance of dying in the next week of some unexpected illness (other than HIV) or an accident is far higher than the chance you caught HIV.
You may not use this forum to vent such unreasoned fears. This thread is over.
I deleted a comment that was basically a religious promotion. Take that sort of stuff to the HIV support forum, not here.
This thread is over.
If my risk assessment is so low, like many others on this site, why is HIV/AIDS growing so rapidly? The odds of have sexual contact with someone who is HIV positive are pretty low. In addition to that, the odds that you will contract HIV from that person are extremely low as well. I guess i just dont understand why the AIDS epidemic is getting worse rather than better with such great odds against contracting HIV.
And you really were at relatively low risk. The risk of contracting HIV from vaginal intercourse with a *known* HIV positive woman is only 1 in 2000. Most people on these forums were at equal or even less risk. But because we live in a sex-negative culture, I'm sure you've only heard about overinflated dangers of sex. The media makes HIV seem almost inevitable--unless, of course, you're only having straight sex in a straight marriage, and then only to procreate.
But the reality is that sex is nowhere near as scary or unsafe as they say. Believe it or not, sex is actually fun ;-) Be careful, choose partners wisely, use condoms for vaginal and anal intercourse. Enjoy your life.