HIV transmission!!!!

Dear Dr's,
Week ago I had protected oral and vaginal intercourse with an Asian massuese at a massage parlor. My question is that five days earlier a had shaved my pubic hairs above my penis and I got a mild folliculitis reaction. Couple days after there were some pimples that popped. My question is that can the vaginal secretions or the masseuse transmit HIV through folliculitis without the appearance of white heads. I really getting scared about this and don't know how to take this.
-Pleaseno89

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  I'll try to help.

You had an accurate reply on the community forum.  Congratulations on your decision to use condoms for vaginal and even oral sex.  You had protected sex, and condoms work.  HIV is rarely if ever tranmsitted by skin-to-skin contact, regardless of skin inflammation, folliculitis, etc.  Nobody in the world has ever been known to be infected in that manner and you aren't going to be the first, even if your partner had HIV.  And the odds are very strong she doesn't have HIV anyway.  In most of the US, well under 1% of female sex workers ("Asian" or other ethnicity) have HIV.

So you really should not be worried, and can safely continue unprotected sex with any regular sex partner(s) you may have.  No testing is necessary -- although of course you are free to do that in a few weeks if you remain nervous and would gain additional reassurance from a negative test result.  (This is not "code" meaning I think there really was some risk.  I do not.)

I hope this helps.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[Pleaseno89]

Just another question Dr, I have read on the cdc's site that HIV can be transmitted through cuts and breaks in the skin. Does folliculitis fall umder this category, or does the wound need to be fresh and open with blood present for vaginal secretions with  HIV to be passed? Thank you Dr. You have made me feel much better. Iammgoing to get tested, when should I between week 6-8 after exposure?
-pleaseno89

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

CDC and other government agencies have to take conservative stances.  In general, their advice doesn't distinguish levels of risk; if there is any theoretical risk at all, it's listed.  In theory such an exposure could result in transmission, but in practice this is so rare -- if it occurs at all -- that no HIV/STD specialst has ever seen such a patient.

There are many discussions on the forum about tests and timing.  A stand-alone antibody test is officially 100% reliable at 3 months, although 6-8 weeks probably is equally reliable.  For the "duo" or "combo" test, for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen, it's 100% at 4 weeks.

[Pleaseno89]

Dr. The duo test is it givin in the USA?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Yes, it's available, but not all doctors or clinics offer it routinely.  You may have to ask around.

[Pleaseno89]

I have only one concern dr. I cheated on my gf of three years and I don't want to risk infecting her. When you say "theoretically" does that mean it could happen?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Re-read my replies above and concentrate.  I see no need to repeat myself.

[Pleaseno89]

I have one more question dr. Mild folloculitis that Is healing does it offer an open route for HIV to be transferred. Like i said it had been five days earlier when I shaved.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The answer is obvious from my intitial reply.  If you keep returning with anxiety-driven questions with obvious answers, the entire thread will be deleted.