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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Wondering about risk level
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.
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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.
Wondering about risk level
by john_m, May 22, 2007 12:00AM
I recently had two encounters with women that have me concerned. The first was 2 months ago - I performed unprotected oral sex on a stripper in Vegas. I later realized that I had a cut on my finger during this (the finger was inserted, but my understanding is that that shouldn't be a risk). I also found out that this girl does coke, though she claimed not to use injected drugs). About 2.5 weeks ago, I again performed unprotected oral sex on a different girl. Afterwards, I noticed a sore in my mouth. We also had protected intercourse.
From what I've read, this seems like it would be a low risk situation, but I am still worried. A week ago, I got two red spots on my arm (looked like bug bites). I then noticed a rash on my back and two blisters on my foot. I also thought I might have oral thrush. I went to my doctor and he dismissed my concerns about thrush, but said he thought the rash was likely to be herpes zoster (shingles). From what I've read, this is a common indicator of HIV. I've seen conflicting things on whether it can occur in the early stages of infection, but it does seem like a pretty big coincidence for it to occur now. If it makes a difference, the rash does look like shingles from the pictures I've seen, but is pretty small and doesn't cause much pain or itching.
I am going to get tested, but any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
From what I've read, this seems like it would be a low risk situation, but I am still worried. A week ago, I got two red spots on my arm (looked like bug bites). I then noticed a rash on my back and two blisters on my foot. I also thought I might have oral thrush. I went to my doctor and he dismissed my concerns about thrush, but said he thought the rash was likely to be herpes zoster (shingles). From what I've read, this is a common indicator of HIV. I've seen conflicting things on whether it can occur in the early stages of infection, but it does seem like a pretty big coincidence for it to occur now. If it makes a difference, the rash does look like shingles from the pictures I've seen, but is pretty small and doesn't cause much pain or itching.
I am going to get tested, but any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., May 22, 2007 12:00AM
, May 22, 2007 12:00AM
Your first impression was correct--your exposures were zero risk for HIV, for all practical purposes. If HIV transmission occurs from mouth to penis, it is very rare, and may not occur at all--even without a condom. With protected oral sex it is impossible. Genital-to-hand transmission is too rare to think about, even with a supposed cut on the finger.
Therefore, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV, unless you caught it somewhere else. And they don't even hint at HIV anyway. The sorts of skin spots you describe do not sound at all like herpes zoster, which does not occur simultaneously in several areas of the body (arm, back, foot). And lots of things other than oral yeast infection (thrush) can occur in the mouth--and anyway, oral thrush occurs often in people with perfectly normal immune systems.
Whatever is going on indeed is only a coincidence. See a health care provider if you remain concerned. But you have no HIV worries.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Therefore, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV, unless you caught it somewhere else. And they don't even hint at HIV anyway. The sorts of skin spots you describe do not sound at all like herpes zoster, which does not occur simultaneously in several areas of the body (arm, back, foot). And lots of things other than oral yeast infection (thrush) can occur in the mouth--and anyway, oral thrush occurs often in people with perfectly normal immune systems.
Whatever is going on indeed is only a coincidence. See a health care provider if you remain concerned. But you have no HIV worries.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
If it makes a difference, my doctor was focused only on the rash on my back that looked like shingles (smallish red area with a few slightly raised bumps on it), not the other spots that had appeared. One point of clarification though - your response seemed to be referring to fellatio. My situation is regarding cunnilingus. I assume your advice is the same though.
It's encouraging to see your comments on my risk level. Thanks.