Aa
common experience, different questions
Hi,
I had an encounter with an Amsterdam sex worker in the beginning of July. I have narrowed my areas of concern down to HIV and herpes after testing negative for bacterial infections after 26 days. I received protected oral and then was the insertive for protected vaginal. The condom did not break from what I could see. From reading other posts, I realize that my concerns may be unnecessary considering it was protected but I still have a few questions.
1. Do scars make any type of STD transmission more likely? I have 2 scars from surgery on a varicocele and a resulting hydrocele. One scar on the groin and another on the scrotum.
2. Why are some people asymptomatic for HIV and herpes? I'm especially confused about HIV since it's such a powerful virus. People get sick when they get the flu, thus why wouldn't everyone with HIV experience ARS? The only symptoms I've had are some swollen and tender lymph nodes in my neck and groin from the 2 week mark until now. I also started getting quite a bit of aches in my legs and joints lately. No herpes lesions at all.
I had an Oraquick test at 26 days and it was negative. Can I consider that reliable considering my risk factors? Thank you for your time. This service you participate in is extremely helpful and we all appreciate it.
I had an encounter with an Amsterdam sex worker in the beginning of July. I have narrowed my areas of concern down to HIV and herpes after testing negative for bacterial infections after 26 days. I received protected oral and then was the insertive for protected vaginal. The condom did not break from what I could see. From reading other posts, I realize that my concerns may be unnecessary considering it was protected but I still have a few questions.
1. Do scars make any type of STD transmission more likely? I have 2 scars from surgery on a varicocele and a resulting hydrocele. One scar on the groin and another on the scrotum.
2. Why are some people asymptomatic for HIV and herpes? I'm especially confused about HIV since it's such a powerful virus. People get sick when they get the flu, thus why wouldn't everyone with HIV experience ARS? The only symptoms I've had are some swollen and tender lymph nodes in my neck and groin from the 2 week mark until now. I also started getting quite a bit of aches in my legs and joints lately. No herpes lesions at all.
I had an Oraquick test at 26 days and it was negative. Can I consider that reliable considering my risk factors? Thank you for your time. This service you participate in is extremely helpful and we all appreciate it.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm sure no specific data exist, but there is no reason to suspect that a scar from a healed wound would increase the risk of HIV infection.
You could ask the same question about variable severity for almost every human disease. There are exceptions; for example, rabies is uniformly fatal (although a couple of years ago the first ever rabies survival was reported). Why do 90% of people with group A streptococcus in their throats have no symptoms and the other 10% get strep throat, and maybe 1% get scarlet fever, the still more serious form? Why are most chlamyidal infections asymptomatic and some severe? Why are a few heart attacks painless? As to why 60-90% of people with new HIV get overt ARS and others notice nothing wrong, the answer is the same as for all the others: unknown. In most of these examples, it's probably just random. In others, there may be unknown variations in a particular person's immune system and how it interracts with a particular strain of the organism causing the disease. In others, it might be the inoculum size, that is the "dose" of virus to which someone is exposed. And in others, it's just the good or bad luck to be infected with a strain that happens to produce certain toxins (for example, the strep strains that produce the toxins that result in the skin rash of scarlet fever).
With condom protected sex, both vaginal and oral, your chance of catching HIV from the exposure you describe was zero. Therefore, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV--and they don't sound like ARS anyway. You did not need testing. If your 26 day test had been positive, or if another test turns positive, and if you were my patient, my first discussion with you would start out "OK, let's talk about what your real risks were. Because you did not get this from your Amsterdam exposure."
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You could ask the same question about variable severity for almost every human disease. There are exceptions; for example, rabies is uniformly fatal (although a couple of years ago the first ever rabies survival was reported). Why do 90% of people with group A streptococcus in their throats have no symptoms and the other 10% get strep throat, and maybe 1% get scarlet fever, the still more serious form? Why are most chlamyidal infections asymptomatic and some severe? Why are a few heart attacks painless? As to why 60-90% of people with new HIV get overt ARS and others notice nothing wrong, the answer is the same as for all the others: unknown. In most of these examples, it's probably just random. In others, there may be unknown variations in a particular person's immune system and how it interracts with a particular strain of the organism causing the disease. In others, it might be the inoculum size, that is the "dose" of virus to which someone is exposed. And in others, it's just the good or bad luck to be infected with a strain that happens to produce certain toxins (for example, the strep strains that produce the toxins that result in the skin rash of scarlet fever).
With condom protected sex, both vaginal and oral, your chance of catching HIV from the exposure you describe was zero. Therefore, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV--and they don't sound like ARS anyway. You did not need testing. If your 26 day test had been positive, or if another test turns positive, and if you were my patient, my first discussion with you would start out "OK, let's talk about what your real risks were. Because you did not get this from your Amsterdam exposure."
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Thank you very much for your comments Dr. HHH. I appreciate it.
If the Dr. wishes to chop it, then I understand. Although I'm still curious about why some people experience symptoms from HIV and some don't. Do you have any insight into this Willl?
hi there, I think I read on one of the websites that the stronger ur immune system is the less likely u will develop symptoms and the more severe symptoms are the more progressive the course of the disease will be, i think it also depends on the strand of the virus, i am no expert but this is what I think and read, the doctor will probably give u a better answer than me or anyone here.
I don't know. I remember reading a transcript from a presentation by a Johns Hopkins Dr. that concluded that all of those that acquired it occupationally did experience an illness, though some much worse than others. A lot of people that get it say they didn't have an illness, probably because a lot of those that get it outside of work are so whacked out on heroin or crystal they don't know the difference between ARS and withdrawal.
There should be no concern and this thread is up on the chopping block.
r u the inspiration on healingwell? if so, good to see u here.
Hi Man_Apart: Thanks... I use this same nickname on a few of these sites. I post on that one as well as Ronnie99....
Thank you for your comments.
I can't believe all of the info I've learned about this disease in the 6 months since my stupid sexual encounter! I had never visited an HIV website before then or read much about the disease. I am in no position to answer your question, but I get the imprression from what I have read that this virus presents itself with a great deal of variety in different people. That is why you will commonly read that symptoms are not helpful in diagnosing initial infection.
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