Risk, Oral with Blood

Dr - I posted once in the public forum but am asking one last time to a professional so I can assess my risk and move on or test if advised to do so.  This is what happened:  I hooked up with another man from a club a little over a week ago.  I gave and received oral sex as well ad made out in a back room, which was almost completely dark.  Upon coming out, it apears he had cut his lip and there was a large amount of blood in my genital area and thigh, and I believe a good amount was in my mouth as well but I rinsed before seeing how much.  There was no ejacuation on either part.  I have decent oral hygiene, but gums have always been a bit inflamed and I bite my cheeks (weird habit).  No open sores or anything from what I recall at the time.  I also had a cold just days after, nasal congestion/mucus, cough, headache, achy - lasted about 5 days.

What sort of risk do I have?  Giving and receiving oral with what I think was a good amount of blood, as well as making out with blood involved as well.  When, how soon should I get tested and is there a decent risk as I described exactly what happened?

Thanks Much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I agree with Teak.  You risk is close to zero.  The mouth is a hostile environment for HIV.  There are enzymes and other components of saliva which make it a difficult place for HIV to survive. The quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has or receives 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.  This includes by all of the people who had gum disease, sores or bleeding in their mouths, etc.

Sorry to hear you have a cold and that is what it is likely to be, not HIV.  If you choose to get tested for HIV, wait until sex weeks after your exposure and then do so realizing that you are doing so for peace of mind (as I said there really is not reason for concern) and commit to believing the test results, which I am confident will be negative, when you get them.

Hope this helps.  EWH