Need your expertise on HIV

[VicKing124]

About 14 days ago I had unprotected oral sex (Receiving) and protected vaginal sex with a sex worker.  A day after, I felt sick and weak.  I gotten better after that but a few days later I felt bad again. A couple days ago I had a chill but no fever.  As of now I feel tiredness, having a sore throat, a running nose and once in a while I get a shortness of breathe.  I look it up online and it kinda scare me about HIV since most of the symptoms are quite similar to HIV.  Can you let me know what are my chances of contracting HIV from protected vaginal sex?  Do you think I need to get an HIV test...if so, when can I get the test and what kind of test do I need?  Thanks again for your help.  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll be pleased to answer your questions.  You can be confident that the exposures you mention above did not lead to HIV infection, or for that matter, any other STD.  Most CSWs do not have HIV or other STDs and even most unprotected exposures to persons with HIV or STD do not lead to infection,  In your case your vaginal sex was condom protected and therefore no risk.  Similarly, there are no known cases in which HIV was gotten through receipt of oral sex.  Thus the exposures you mention are no risk.

The internet is not a good place to look for information on symptoms of HIV for several reasons. These include that the information on the internet is often wrong and, secondly, that the symptoms of recently acquired HIV are so non-specific and have so many other possible causes that to worry about the sorts of mild symptoms you report is a waste of time.  In your case, your symptoms occurred too soon and were too mild to be HIV.

My advice- please do not worry that this was HIV. From what you report, there is not even a reason to test related to this exposure.

I hope you find my comments helpful. EWH

[VicKing124]

Thanks Doctor...you have been very helpful.