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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
can exposure to a person with HIV cause chicken pox symptoms? I
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.
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can exposure to a person with HIV cause chicken pox symptoms? I
by man of fear, Apr 29, 2006 12:00AM
Hello Doc,
I had a sexual encounter with a woman that was HIV+ but the sex was protected sex with use of a condom. We did french kiss a little but it was mainly casual kissing. No vaginal fluid touched my penis head and I washed myself immediately afterwards. I did not know at the time that she was HIV+ until after our sexual encounter. I was really freaked out and 4 days later I went to get a HIV test and it was negative. But 4 days later I developed lesion similar to chicken pox symptoms that developed around my chest area and on my back. The lesions then spread to my forehead area and my neck area. I became very concerned right away and very scared. I began to look up on the internet to see what the symtoms looked like in this rash form and it looked like. It really closely resembled chicken pox or herpes zoster pattern of lesion. It seems to be following the dermatomes of the skin lines especially on my chest and back area and my lower back area.
I am very concerned and I am just writing you and asking for your expert opinion. I just do not want to be in fear of having HIV and not have it based on these findings. I did have one of my friends to suggest acyclovir 800mg to take to help with the symptoms just in case it was herpes zoster or shingles. Please give me your expert opinion and let me know what you think. I am going to a Dermatologist on Monday or at least this week. I am just scared of having HIV from this one incident of protected sex from a persopn I did not know was HIV+. I am glad that I do always wear a condom however. I do not have any lesions in my groin area or on my penis. Please give me your opinion about the descriptions that I gave you and
possible treatment options as well. Thank you Doctor, I do plan on getting test in the next 4 weeks to make sure that I stay HIV negative. My first test was negative and I pray that future test are negative as well and that these lesion do go anyway. Please let me know the time interval that chicken pox or shingle lesion take to go away with therapy as well.
thank you so much I am very open to your council and I appreciate your opinion. I am very scared right now in my life and I just want to have a clue of what could be causing this reaction of lesions I have. Thanks again, I am awaiting your response. By the way do you recommend Zovirax cream on the lesions?
I had a sexual encounter with a woman that was HIV+ but the sex was protected sex with use of a condom. We did french kiss a little but it was mainly casual kissing. No vaginal fluid touched my penis head and I washed myself immediately afterwards. I did not know at the time that she was HIV+ until after our sexual encounter. I was really freaked out and 4 days later I went to get a HIV test and it was negative. But 4 days later I developed lesion similar to chicken pox symptoms that developed around my chest area and on my back. The lesions then spread to my forehead area and my neck area. I became very concerned right away and very scared. I began to look up on the internet to see what the symtoms looked like in this rash form and it looked like. It really closely resembled chicken pox or herpes zoster pattern of lesion. It seems to be following the dermatomes of the skin lines especially on my chest and back area and my lower back area.
I am very concerned and I am just writing you and asking for your expert opinion. I just do not want to be in fear of having HIV and not have it based on these findings. I did have one of my friends to suggest acyclovir 800mg to take to help with the symptoms just in case it was herpes zoster or shingles. Please give me your expert opinion and let me know what you think. I am going to a Dermatologist on Monday or at least this week. I am just scared of having HIV from this one incident of protected sex from a persopn I did not know was HIV+. I am glad that I do always wear a condom however. I do not have any lesions in my groin area or on my penis. Please give me your opinion about the descriptions that I gave you and
possible treatment options as well. Thank you Doctor, I do plan on getting test in the next 4 weeks to make sure that I stay HIV negative. My first test was negative and I pray that future test are negative as well and that these lesion do go anyway. Please let me know the time interval that chicken pox or shingle lesion take to go away with therapy as well.
thank you so much I am very open to your council and I appreciate your opinion. I am very scared right now in my life and I just want to have a clue of what could be causing this reaction of lesions I have. Thanks again, I am awaiting your response. By the way do you recommend Zovirax cream on the lesions?
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, May 01, 2006 12:00AM
, May 01, 2006 12:00AM
Your description does not match chickenpox. It may be zoster, I suppose. However, HIV has a much longer incubation period than a couple of days, and it takes much, much longer than that to have any effect on anyone's immune system. I understand your concern, but there is no way HIV contracted from this encounter could be playing a role. Also, the kind of sexual encounter you describe would be very unlikely to expose you to any STD.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Dr. Rockoff
Dr. Rockoff
I went to the Dermatologist today and she diagnosed my skin lesions as Pityriasis Rosea. I was so relieved by her diagnosis she did a biopsy to just confirm and gave me a corticosteroid injection and Cloderm cream for the my itchy sensitive spots twice per day and olux (clobetasol propionate foam 0.05%) She said I should use this on the body lesions and skin areas that she noticed. I had the descriptions wrong she said it was a christmas tree type pattern with a herald patch that is usually scaly and then 1 week later all spots of lesions form on the chest neck lower back and sometimes the face area and legs. But the disease is self limiting which usually last about 2-6 weeks and sometimes shorter. Also it has a low recurrence rate of 3% and noone really knows what causes it but they attribute it to a some HH7 virus or stress related occurences. I have been majorly stressed out lately and I am just relieved by your response Doc and everyones contribution. I have been scared straight by this ordeal, I am just going to get married and settle down and raise a family and call it a day.
This past week has been hell believe me and I would not wish it on anyone neither will I ever put myself in a situation like that ever again. I feel so much better knowing now what the diagnosis is and that I can just relax and let this common benign skin disease end its course and learn a great life's lesson in the process.
Thank all of you for a good counseling and wise commentary.
I have learned a wise lesson and believe me I will not be forgetting this ever. Thanks a million for this website of inforamtion. Have a good day...by
John