Aa
Hiv risk
Dr,
Two weeks ago I french kissed with another guy for about 3-4 min. At the time I had a sinus infection and a few canker sores on my tongue. He told me he was hiv neg but I don't know him. Since then I've had even more canker sores on my tongue. Since I had the open sores in my mouth what are my hiv risks from this exposure (assuming he was hiv +)? Some sites say there is a risk. Do I need to do testing if this is my only possible exposure in the past 3-4 months? I tested neg 10 days ago. (Antibody rapid test.) If there is no risk, would it be safe for me to have unprotected sex in the future (with someone who's hiv neg) without going through testing based on this french kissing experience with the sores? Having even more canker sores afterwards is making me really anxious. Thanks.
Two weeks ago I french kissed with another guy for about 3-4 min. At the time I had a sinus infection and a few canker sores on my tongue. He told me he was hiv neg but I don't know him. Since then I've had even more canker sores on my tongue. Since I had the open sores in my mouth what are my hiv risks from this exposure (assuming he was hiv +)? Some sites say there is a risk. Do I need to do testing if this is my only possible exposure in the past 3-4 months? I tested neg 10 days ago. (Antibody rapid test.) If there is no risk, would it be safe for me to have unprotected sex in the future (with someone who's hiv neg) without going through testing based on this french kissing experience with the sores? Having even more canker sores afterwards is making me really anxious. Thanks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the forum.
I'm concerned you continue to have some misunderstandings about HIV transmission and risks. Your previous question was about hand-genital contact and this one concerns kissing, both of which are free of any risk for HIV transmission. HIV is not transmitted sexually if a bare penis (no condom) doesn't enter another person's vagina or rectum. That's it. Pretty simple, right? There's really no need to ask about other sexual events!
Anyway, the virus has never been known to be transmitted by kissing, regardless of canker sores. Any webiste that says there is such a risk either doesn't know what they're talking about, or have taken a highly conservative stance based on theory, not the real world.
So I don't recommend testing at this time. Of course you are free to do it if the negative result will help reassure you -- and since you've already had one test that was too early to help, perhaps you'll want another. But if I were in your situation, I wouldn't be tested and I would be continuing unprotected sex (and kissing) with my wife, without any concern about giving her HIV.
For still further reassurance, why not ask you kissing partner his HIV status? Most people don't lie, and if he's negative you should have even more confidence you were not exposed.
Finally, 2+ weeks is a long time for continuing canker sores. If they persist much longer, you should see your doctor about it. Is there any chance you have been exposed to oral herpes?
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I'm concerned you continue to have some misunderstandings about HIV transmission and risks. Your previous question was about hand-genital contact and this one concerns kissing, both of which are free of any risk for HIV transmission. HIV is not transmitted sexually if a bare penis (no condom) doesn't enter another person's vagina or rectum. That's it. Pretty simple, right? There's really no need to ask about other sexual events!
Anyway, the virus has never been known to be transmitted by kissing, regardless of canker sores. Any webiste that says there is such a risk either doesn't know what they're talking about, or have taken a highly conservative stance based on theory, not the real world.
So I don't recommend testing at this time. Of course you are free to do it if the negative result will help reassure you -- and since you've already had one test that was too early to help, perhaps you'll want another. But if I were in your situation, I wouldn't be tested and I would be continuing unprotected sex (and kissing) with my wife, without any concern about giving her HIV.
For still further reassurance, why not ask you kissing partner his HIV status? Most people don't lie, and if he's negative you should have even more confidence you were not exposed.
Finally, 2+ weeks is a long time for continuing canker sores. If they persist much longer, you should see your doctor about it. Is there any chance you have been exposed to oral herpes?
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're probably right, especially if not accompanied by sore thorat or other symptoms; most canker sores are not herpes. I raised it only because this seems to be a longer than usual episode. And because if it did happen to be herpes, kissing your partner would have risked infecting him with HSV-1.
Thanks. The one french/deep kissing episode was it in the past 3-4 months. The canker sores are only on my tongue but they've been around for 2weeks. I don't think it's herpes. I'll check it out if they don't go away.
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