HIV risk from past encounter

[johnhillen]

I have been worrying about an encounter I had, coming up for 5 years ago and the HIV risk it carried.  I performed oral sex for maybe 15-20 minutes on a female I met after a night out on holiday (we were in Greece, she was a Canadian). Then there was an attempt at sex from what I can remember, no condom involved but not certainly not full penetration. Actually I don't think my penis penetrated at all, and if it did only part of it just inside the vagina and  for not more than 10-20 seconds.  There was definitly genital contact.  What was the chance of HIV transmission from this encounter (I have no reason to believe the female had HIV)? I have been perfectly healthy since the incident in general.  I plan to have a full STD test when I can, I am out of my country at the moment so cannot do this yet, just looking for some piece of mind for the time being - there is a wide variety of opinions about this on the internet.  Thanks for your help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to t he Forum.  I hope this has not been on your mind for the past five years and if it has, I hope that I can help to put your mind at rest.  Your risk of HIV from this encounter is very, very low.  On the basis of statistics, the likelihood that your partner had HIV was less than 1 in 1000 and probably closer to 1 in 10,000.  Then, if you did have vaginal intercourse, your risk for getting HIV is only 1 infection per 1000 exposures, thus, if you had vaginal intercourse your risk of HIV is mathematically something like 1 in a million and probably lower.  If you did not have vaginal penetration, the risk is even lower.  If your only exposure was oral sex, there is virtually no risk, whether or not she had HIV (and as I said above, this is unlikely).

Thus, to make a long story short- I see little reason to worry.  Getting an HIV when it is convenient is a fine idea but, in the meantime, please don't put any energy into worrying.  I hope this comment is helpful.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

At this time, 5 years later, there really is no reason for you to still be worrying abou this encounter.  EWH

[johnhillen]

Thankyou very much Dr. That helps a lot.  HIV does not seem to be something I should worry about.  Just one very quick follow up question if I may.
Was there a realistic chance of other STD's from this encounter?  I have never had symptoms of anything so can I be fairly confident that I don't have anything?
Thankyou, there will be no more questions after this.