Worrying Situation in Africa

Hello Dr Jose/Dr Sean

Hope you are well.

Please do not be annoyed by my query. It sounds silly but perhaps getting a second opinion would help to give some sense and closure to this incident.

2 weeks back, I was doing some data collection in Tanzania, and I had to stay temporarily in a dilapidated boarding house. There was only one bathroom and is shared by all occupants. During one of the mornings, I went into the bathroom for a shower seconds after one of the occupants. After bathing, I went back into my room. In my room, I noticed there were genital secretions on my penis including around my urethra. I just wiped it off and thought nothing of it because it could be mine. But now I have been having symptoms that I never had before in my life. I have terrible muscle pain all over and my body’s very warm - underarm temperature (35.9-36.5) degrees Celsius. I have a terrible sore throat and both my armpits and groins ache often. I also have excessively dry skin, and feel very tired easily. I am slightly worried that those genital secretions might actually not be mine, and so it is possible that I could be infected with HIV because those secretions could have entered the mucous membrane of my urethra. It could have come from my bath towel that I had hung on the wall. I am usually a rational person but have become irrational after this episode. The fact that I was in Africa has exacerbated the situation.

1. In a worst-case scenario where these secretions on my penis were not mine and HIV-infected, and could have entered my urethra, would I be at risk for HIV?

2. Are my presenting symptoms consistent with seroconversion to HIV?

3. Should I come by to Freedomhealth to do a HIV duo test? Is testing recommended in this hypothetical situation?

I would like to move on in my life as my wife and I are planning to have a baby. Will be grateful for your reply, please. Thank you.

-Student in London

[Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia, MD, MRCGP, PhD]

Hello,
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
I do not believe that you can get infected with HIV that way.  It is completely impossible!!
Therefore I am totally confident that any of the symptoms that you have been experiencing have absolutely nothing to do with HIV.  HIV cannot be transmitted that easily.  Let me briefly answer your questions here below:

1. In a worst-case scenario where these secretions on my penis were not mine and HIV-infected, and could have entered my urethra, would I be at risk for HIV?

I DO NOT BELIEVE SO.  IT WOULD REALLY BE QUITE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.  HIV TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT HAPPEN THAT EASILY.

2. Are my presenting symptoms consistent with seroconversion to HIV?

SYMPTOMS ARE NON-SPECIFIC AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RELATED TO HUNDREDS OF OTHER CONDITIONS, EVEN MALARIA.  BY THE WAY, A TEMPERATURE OF  35.9-36.5 DEGREES IS NORMAL AND IS NOT A FEVER.  I THINK MOST OF YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE RELATED TO YOUR STATE OF STRESS AND ANXIETY AND NOTHING ELSE.

3. Should I come by to Freedomhealth to do a HIV duo test? Is testing recommended in this hypothetical situation?

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A TEST IN A CASE LIKE YOURS, OTHER THAT TO TREAT YOUR WORRY AND ANXIETY AND FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND.  I AM SURE THAT THE RESULT WILL BE NEGATIVE.


I hope this helps.
best wishes,
Dr José

[londoner993]

Hello Dr José

Thank you very much for the reassurance. It was indeed helpful. If I may follow-up with just two more brief queries, I will be on my way. You have my promise. Brief responses of yes and no is not a problem too.

There was most definitely fluid stuck to my urethra although it was not dripping away. I did clear it up with a clean tissue as well as open up the tip of the urethra to clean inside and around it. I felt puzzled that I had to do this even after I had taken a shower.

a. Could this fluid possibly be my own as in some post-ejaculatory fluid?
b. Any risk by cleaning my urethra that way especially if the fluids were not mine, and HIV-infected?

I will come by to Freedomhealth after 28 days. Thanks again.

Regards,
Dani

[Dwood2006]

I had sex with a female prostitue in cancun Mexico I used a condom that she provided and I had oral and vaginal sex and as far as I can remember when I took the condom off the semen was still in it so I don't think it broke my question is j know j need to be tested for a 100% answer but what are my chances of being infected if she was HIV I'm havin bad anxiety and seeking relief until testing