Possibility of HIV risk?

[Katherine910]

I am a woman, 20 years old.
Two days ago I was with a friend, that turned to kissing, that turned to making out, which led to hand-to-genital touching. I briefly touched his penis, and felt precum, and my concern is that I have a nervous habit of biting my cuticals and the surrounding skin of my fingers - and therefore have cuts and abrasions. He did not ejaculate, and the contact was very minimal, but I did have small open/healing abrasions on my fingers and I am sure that the precum fluid came in contect with them. He has had 5 sexual partners and has not been tested, but has (he says always) used a condom while having sex, and that they were people that he knew and trusted and says that they did not inject drugs and were free of infectious diseases. He has used hard drugs in the past, but has not injected or shared needles. He feels very strongly that he has not contracted any disease, and that had any of his previous partners found out that they were infected, he would know. He is getting tested tomorrow (Monday) for HIV and is not at all worried. I am seeking your professional opinion as to my risk of infection, and although this might seem like me over-reacting, I feel that these kinds of situations should be taken very seriously. I do not engage in any risky sexual activity, and have only had one sexual partner. I am very precautious and was recently screened for STDs (including HIV).

Thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You describe a partner at low risk of having HIV.  The past "hard drug" use raises the stakes, but only a little in someone who hasn't shared injection equipment with other drug users.  His sexual lifestyle is low risk; 5 heterosexual partners is a trivial number with respect to HIV risk in the US and other industrialized countries.  Also, if his age is similar to yours, that's also a safety factor; not very many people in their 20s have HIV.

Beyond all that, the sexual exposure you describe did not risk transmission even if he has HIV.  Nobody every caught HIV by hand-genital contact, regardless of cuts on the hands, nicks in  cuticles, and so on.  You didn't have unprotected vaginal or anal sex -- that's all that really matters.

So the bottom lines are that 1) you can expect your partner's HIV test to be negative and 2) you don't need to worry about catching HIV from that exposure, even if he unexpectedly turns out to be infected.

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

[Katherine910]

Thank you, I apreciate the time you took in answering my questioin and reassuring me.