HIV Risk

[scared510]

Hi,
In the last month, I have had sexual encounters with an aquaintance.  I am a female in her 30s, and as far as I know I'm HIV negative (tested within the year-was in a monogamous relationship), but do have oral herpes and HPV.  He is a caucasian, single, heterosexual male in his early 30s who says he was tested for HIV about 1 year ago.  I know he has multiple partners.  He told me that when he is in a monogamous relationship he has unprotected sex.  When he is with someone who is more promiscuous he does have protected vaginal sex.

In the last month, we have had 2 encounters of unprotected oral sex (both of us giving and receiving, him ejaculating in my mouth) and just yesterday 1 encounter of vaginal sex.  The vaginal sex was unprotected for a few seconds (and not full penetration) and we used a condom for the rest of the vaginal sex through to ejaculation.

This is not typical behavior for me and I am scared as I do think he is more promiscuous (and therefore more at risk).  Obviously I should get tested, but I am terrified of my risk for HIV.  Please let me know what my risk is here and the soonest I can get tested for any kind of indication that may give me some peace of mind.  Do you think I can forget about this until it's time to be tested?  
Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, it would be low. LEss than 1 in 1000, as I said.  EWH

[scared510]

Thank you so much.  I appreciate your expertise.
Even if he did have HIV, would the risk be low w/ the momentary vaginal penetration?

Again, thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  This was a rather low risk encounter although as you point out, testing is always a good idea.  Your risk for other STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea() is higher than your risk for HIV and you may want to get checked to those STDs a well.  Chlamydia and gonorrhea are both more easily transmitted and  far more common than HIV.

There reason this was a low risk exposure for you is that your partner is low risk.  Few heterosexual men who are not drug  users have HIV - less than 1 in 10,000.  Further, there is no appreciable risk for HIV form giving or receiving oral sex. Thus your only risk, even if he had HIV (unlikely, as I said) is from the brief episode of vaginal sex you report.  The risk of getting HIV from oral sex, if your partner did have HIV is only 1 in 1000. thus, putting all of these facts together, I would not spend a lot of time worrying between now and when you decide to test.  Your mathematical risk of infection is less than 1 in 10 million.  Testing at any time more than 8 weeks after your exposure will provide definitive information.

I hope this comment helps. EWH