Insight please

41 Days ago I engaged in unprotected mutual oral sex with a woman.  We both experienced cuts in our mouth from aggressive kissing immediately prior to oral sex.  From what you have written I understand this to be a low risk exposure but I have some questions please.

31 days after exposure I had an HIV test and CBC with differential.  The HIV came back non reactive and the CBC levels were all in

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Oral sex is no measurable risk for HIV transmission.  So most of your questions are moot.  So my answers are brief and to the point.

1) Almost all HIV infected people have positive tests by 31 days.  Combine the negative tests plus the low risk event, and my advice is to worry about things that have a greater risk of harming you--like getting hit by lightning.  I don't mean to be facetious:  I truly mean your risk of a lightning strike is greater than the chance you acquired HIV.

2) The CBC isn't usually abnormal during HIV seroconversion.  Your normal CBC doesn't affect your risk calculation one way or the other.

3) Most people who seroconvert have symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), especially fever.  But 10-25% have no symptoms.

4)A negative screening result is reliable by itself and would not normally be subjected to further test.  So I don't know what your doc is talking about.

Happy holidays--  HHH, MD