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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Oral sex (once again), than fever and then anxiety
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
Oral sex (once again), than fever and then anxiety
by marciogomes, Nov 02, 2009 02:28PM
Hello. I am from Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. I am a 25 years old man who had oral sex with a man that I met at a party. He did not ejaculated in my mouth but I dont know if there was pre-cum. It ocurred last month.
NINE days afer that I had fever (38,8ºC), less of apetite, fatigue, body aching and diarrhea. NO OTHER symptom. Suddenly I caught me worrying if I was having ACUTE HIV symptoms. Went to the doctor and had a blood count (CBC) - I'm not sure if that's the correct name: I am from Brazil and my English is not very good. It's the simple blood test you have when you go to emergency with fever that measures the blood cells and stuff. Anyway, the "CBC" came OK. But as far as I have read, an OK "CBC" doesn't mean anything.
These symptoms were almost gone next day. Had a body aching in the morning but in general I was fine. And then was completely gone. I know oral sex offers extremely low risk. I read and reread this forum.
But that guy had a strange behave. He was handsome and strong, but he said he was drug user (none of them injectable, he said). And he kept making jokes about HIV all the time, as if it was a necessity for him to talk about it (he said he did NOT have HIV). After the sex, he had a more strange behave, I don't know if it was because he was drunk or what. I asked him if he was OK and he whispered "No". I asked him what had happend, and I don't know why he said something like "Don't tell me about good health". Creepy.
Let's SUPPOSE he was HIV positive. My questions:
1) Those symptoms could be from acute hiv?
2) Is it possible to have acute HIV symptoms NINE days after infecton?
3) Acute HIV can last for only one/two days?
4) An OK CBC (I am really hoping I'm using the correct term - in Portuguese we say "hemograma") during the acute HIV period doesn't mean anything. Or DOES it? If I was in acute HIV period, the CBC test would have shown a reduction of SOMETHING in the blood?
Thank you for the attention. We're such young and anxious souls.
NINE days afer that I had fever (38,8ºC), less of apetite, fatigue, body aching and diarrhea. NO OTHER symptom. Suddenly I caught me worrying if I was having ACUTE HIV symptoms. Went to the doctor and had a blood count (CBC) - I'm not sure if that's the correct name: I am from Brazil and my English is not very good. It's the simple blood test you have when you go to emergency with fever that measures the blood cells and stuff. Anyway, the "CBC" came OK. But as far as I have read, an OK "CBC" doesn't mean anything.
These symptoms were almost gone next day. Had a body aching in the morning but in general I was fine. And then was completely gone. I know oral sex offers extremely low risk. I read and reread this forum.
But that guy had a strange behave. He was handsome and strong, but he said he was drug user (none of them injectable, he said). And he kept making jokes about HIV all the time, as if it was a necessity for him to talk about it (he said he did NOT have HIV). After the sex, he had a more strange behave, I don't know if it was because he was drunk or what. I asked him if he was OK and he whispered "No". I asked him what had happend, and I don't know why he said something like "Don't tell me about good health". Creepy.
Let's SUPPOSE he was HIV positive. My questions:
1) Those symptoms could be from acute hiv?
2) Is it possible to have acute HIV symptoms NINE days after infecton?
3) Acute HIV can last for only one/two days?
4) An OK CBC (I am really hoping I'm using the correct term - in Portuguese we say "hemograma") during the acute HIV period doesn't mean anything. Or DOES it? If I was in acute HIV period, the CBC test would have shown a reduction of SOMETHING in the blood?
Thank you for the attention. We're such young and anxious souls.
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Nov 02, 2009 05:00PM
, Nov 02, 2009 05:00PM
Welcome to our Forum. Before I address your specific questions I have a summary of your situation and then a comment.
Summary. You had receptive oral sex with another man of unknown status and 8 days later had a fever, sore throat and flu-like symptoms. You are worried that this might be HIV seroconversion. You really do not need to worry. As you know from looking at earlier posts, the quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex. Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex. Thus your illness 9 days later was coincidence, not ARS.
Now for my comment. I congratulate you for asking your partner about his health and status. As you tell us of his responses however, I find myself wondering why you then went on to have unprotected sex with him is his questions suggested that he might be a risky partner? Asking these questions works best when you act on the information gathers.
Now, on to your questions:
1. No. See above. The symptoms of the ARS are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In contrast, over a given year, there is almost no one who has not had a viral illness, night sweats or both (sometimes on multiple occasions). For you to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time, particularly after what was essentially a no risk situation.
2. It is possible but not for you given the information you provided.
3. Not usually.
4. A normal hemogram means nothing.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. You really have nothing to worry about. EWH
Summary. You had receptive oral sex with another man of unknown status and 8 days later had a fever, sore throat and flu-like symptoms. You are worried that this might be HIV seroconversion. You really do not need to worry. As you know from looking at earlier posts, the quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex. Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex. Thus your illness 9 days later was coincidence, not ARS.
Now for my comment. I congratulate you for asking your partner about his health and status. As you tell us of his responses however, I find myself wondering why you then went on to have unprotected sex with him is his questions suggested that he might be a risky partner? Asking these questions works best when you act on the information gathers.
Now, on to your questions:
1. No. See above. The symptoms of the ARS are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In contrast, over a given year, there is almost no one who has not had a viral illness, night sweats or both (sometimes on multiple occasions). For you to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time, particularly after what was essentially a no risk situation.
2. It is possible but not for you given the information you provided.
3. Not usually.
4. A normal hemogram means nothing.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. You really have nothing to worry about. EWH
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It's nice to hear that. I will be more responsable.