HIV concern

[Ephrum]

I am concerned about a possible HIV exposure. The background is this: I met a woman for dinner off an Internet dating site. I only knew her for 2 days. We engaged in sex and I had sex with her using a condom in her vagina, she removed the condom and performed oral on me, followed by anal sex without using a condom. I finished inside of her.

9 Days after the initial encounter I went to my regular health care provider because I wanted to get check for HIV. The test came back negative, and the HIV test was only 9 days after possible exposure. I did contract gentile warts from this woman also.

32 days after possible exposure I started to develop very sore armpits, a neck, and clavicle area. The pain was moderate to mild and I am to be considered a generally healthy person. Due to the sore lymph areas I decided to get checked again for HIV this time at the 38 day. I took an Oral HIV test from the San Diego department of health. The test results came back in 20min, and it was negative (at this time my armpits were still sore). I was told that the test would only be accurate 3 months ago and back, and any recent encounters (to include the one that pertains to this posting) would no be able to show up, and that I would have to get tested again in 3 months.
Am I safe or should I get tested again. I plan on getting tested again at the 52 day?
When is a suitable time after a negative test that I can know that I am ok?
Do you think I am HIV negative after taking 2 HIV test 38 days after possible exposure?

My lymph area is still sore (3 weeks of tender lymphs). If I did get HIV would the test show up while my lymphs were sore or would the soreness have to stop before the test could be accurate?

I will more than likely take two more HIV test at the 52 day. If both test come back negative will I be ok?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. Your risk for getting HIV from a single encounter with an unknown partner is low.  It is unlikely that she had HIV and you only had a single episode of unprotected vaginal intercourse (there is no meaningful risk for HIV from condom protected sex or from receipt of oral sex).  After 1 sexual encounter your risk for HIV is about 1 infection in every 1000 acts of intercourse, on average.  Testing at 38 days (5+ weeks) is also further evidence that you did not get HIV.  At that time well over 90% of infections would have been detectable.  I would suggest you get tested one more time, at 8 weeks following exposure (i.e. 56 days or beyond).  At that time all HIV infections would be detectable.

Your swollen lymph nodes are not due to HIV. This is rather late for early symptomatic HIV infection to occur and if this had been HIV your 38 day test would have been positive.  I suspect your swollen lymph nodes were due to some other sore of infection, not HIV or an STD.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. I am confident that you did not get HIV from this exposure. EWH

[Ephrum]

Also I was checked for all STDs everything came back negative at the 9 day marker. I stopped using the gentile wart cream that i was prescribed (aldara) because I went to get the warts froze off and the nurse practitioner told me to stop taking the cream. The initial encounter happened August 31, I was checked the first time for HIV on Sept 9, and the second time on Oct 8th. I want to get tested again on Oct 22.