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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
HIV risks
by terrified237, Oct 25, 2009 10:47AM
I have a recent visit to Indonesia where I have unprotected oral sex and protected vaginal sex with 3 prostitutes. The dates were 6th and 11th of September. In the first incident which happened on the 6th Sep, I asked the prostitute to brush before giving me a blow-job and later through differnt forum realized that was a mistake. On the 11th Sep, before startig the prostitute knee got a cut from my ail and there was some blood. But she just pushed the sore and it got fine, she gave me a blow job and then we have protected sex. On 2nd October, I got terrified and tested for HIV which came negative, then Again I tested for HIV on the 6th Oct which again came negative. I have been under a lot of stress because of this. Around 9th October, I developed mild sore throat which continued for more than 2 weeks. At the same time I had indigestion and watery bowels may be because I was travelling too much. I am totally streesed now and am waiting to be tested again. What are the chances of me having HIV infection.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Oct 25, 2009 02:11PM
, Oct 25, 2009 02:11PM
On one hand, you had some high risk exposures; HIV is quite common in at least some Indonesian sex workers. On the other hand, congratulations for being wise enough to have safe sex. Condoms work and oral sex carries little or no risk for HIV.
The rates of HIV are high among some Indonesian commercial sex workers; I just saw a report of 5% (1 in 20) being positive. But that means it is most likely your partners did not have HIV. And as I said, condoms work and oral sex really isn't an important concern with respect to HIV transmission. Finally, a negative HIV test 3-4 weeks after exposure is reassuring; most newly infected people, but not all, would have positive results by that time. To be maximally certain, you also should be tested 6-8 weeks after the last exposure, i.e. around the second week of November. You can expect negative results.
Your symptoms are meaningless. Even when HIV symptoms are classical (which yours are not), the identical symptoms are caused much more often by minor illnesses of various sorts. But your symptoms don't sound like HIV anyway, and they came on too late; HIV symptoms generally start 1-2 weeks after catching the virus.
Bottom line : "totally stressed" is an overreaction. It is very unlikely you caught HIV. But have another test in about 2 weeks to be even more certain.
Regards-- HHH, MD
The rates of HIV are high among some Indonesian commercial sex workers; I just saw a report of 5% (1 in 20) being positive. But that means it is most likely your partners did not have HIV. And as I said, condoms work and oral sex really isn't an important concern with respect to HIV transmission. Finally, a negative HIV test 3-4 weeks after exposure is reassuring; most newly infected people, but not all, would have positive results by that time. To be maximally certain, you also should be tested 6-8 weeks after the last exposure, i.e. around the second week of November. You can expect negative results.
Your symptoms are meaningless. Even when HIV symptoms are classical (which yours are not), the identical symptoms are caused much more often by minor illnesses of various sorts. But your symptoms don't sound like HIV anyway, and they came on too late; HIV symptoms generally start 1-2 weeks after catching the virus.
Bottom line : "totally stressed" is an overreaction. It is very unlikely you caught HIV. But have another test in about 2 weeks to be even more certain.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Post Comment
That will be all on this thread, unless I am still misunderstanding the nature of the exposure. Take care and stop worrying about this.
You came to the forum for reassurance. I gave it. Accept it or not, I don't care, but please don't argue with it.
This thread is over. I won't have any further comments.