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Scared about potential exposure
Drs. Handsfield or Hook,
I recently had sex with an escort in New York. I wore a condom that neither broke nor fell off my penis, but it did not cover the entire shaft, and might have ridden up at least halfway on my shaft during sex. The entire encounter didn't last longer than a minute and a half or so. I am circumcised, but have not been tested for STDs like Herpes or Chlamydia. I have no visible cuts or open sores on my penis, just some marks that look like hair follicles, but I understand that diseases like Chlamydia and HSV-2, even if asymptomatic, increase the risk of HIV transmission. The escort was not a street-walker, did not appear to be indigent or drug-addicted, and assured me afterwards that she had been tested for HIV recently and received a negative result. If, hypothetically, I had genital herpes (or some other STD) and somehow it had spread to cover my whole shaft without any open sores or blatant symptoms, and the condom did not extent all the way down my shaft, what would be my risk? Given the circumstances I have described, should I test for HIV? I feel a tremendous deal of guilt for this encounter and now know that I am not the type of person who should use prostitutes, EVER. I've learned my lesson and hope not to pay for it with my life.
I recently had sex with an escort in New York. I wore a condom that neither broke nor fell off my penis, but it did not cover the entire shaft, and might have ridden up at least halfway on my shaft during sex. The entire encounter didn't last longer than a minute and a half or so. I am circumcised, but have not been tested for STDs like Herpes or Chlamydia. I have no visible cuts or open sores on my penis, just some marks that look like hair follicles, but I understand that diseases like Chlamydia and HSV-2, even if asymptomatic, increase the risk of HIV transmission. The escort was not a street-walker, did not appear to be indigent or drug-addicted, and assured me afterwards that she had been tested for HIV recently and received a negative result. If, hypothetically, I had genital herpes (or some other STD) and somehow it had spread to cover my whole shaft without any open sores or blatant symptoms, and the condom did not extent all the way down my shaft, what would be my risk? Given the circumstances I have described, should I test for HIV? I feel a tremendous deal of guilt for this encounter and now know that I am not the type of person who should use prostitutes, EVER. I've learned my lesson and hope not to pay for it with my life.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You are abusing your MedHelp priviliges. You keep asking the same question with different words and I understood it the first time. It has been answered. Any more of this and the entire thread will be immediately deleted.
What I meant was that if I was wearing a condom that did not break but it also did not roll all the way down to cover part of the area potentially infected with Herpes or Chlamydia prior to the encounter, what would the HIV risk be?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Zero chance. Read my replies above. You cannot catch HIV if you are not exposed to it, regardless of what other STDs you may have -- and an intact condom protects exposure.
Sorry Dr., I meant what would the risk of me contracting HIV from this encounter be if I, hypothetically, already had a asymptomatic/undiagnosed (I haven't been tested for STDs in some time) HSV-2 or Chlamydia infection that spread down to my shaft?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No risk at all for chlamydia, which cannot be transmitted by infected secretions contacting intact skin of the penis (or anywhere else). The odds of contracting HSV-2 from any single exposure of this sort is under 1 chance in many thousand, if the woman is infected -- which, statistically, probably is not the case.
Thank you so much for your response, Dr., it is much appreciated. Just one more question. Hypothetically, if someone had undiagnosed/asymptomatic HSV-2 or Chlamydia that extended down to the shaft of the penis and that part was not covered by a condom, would the risk be high? I apologize for bothering you with this, just wanted to put a follow-up in there.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
This was a zero risk exposure with respect to HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other infections transmitted by genital secretions. Condoms never cover the entire shaft of the penis; as long as the head and urethral opening are covered, protection is complete. There is some risk, but statistically very low, for infections transmitted by skin to skin contact, like herpes, HPV, or syphilis. Second, it is the rare escort who has HIV and probably the large majority are free of bacterial (treatable) STDs.
So from a risk assessment standpoint, you don't need testing for HIV or any other STD on account of this event. But of course you are free to do that if my reassuance doesn't settle your fears, i.e. if you need the additional reassurance of a negative test result. But if I were in your situation, I would not do it -- and I would continue unprotected sex with my wife, without fears for her health.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
This was a zero risk exposure with respect to HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other infections transmitted by genital secretions. Condoms never cover the entire shaft of the penis; as long as the head and urethral opening are covered, protection is complete. There is some risk, but statistically very low, for infections transmitted by skin to skin contact, like herpes, HPV, or syphilis. Second, it is the rare escort who has HIV and probably the large majority are free of bacterial (treatable) STDs.
So from a risk assessment standpoint, you don't need testing for HIV or any other STD on account of this event. But of course you are free to do that if my reassuance doesn't settle your fears, i.e. if you need the additional reassurance of a negative test result. But if I were in your situation, I would not do it -- and I would continue unprotected sex with my wife, without fears for her health.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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