Oral Contact ARS Symptoms

[ulrich1965]

In early January or the 7th, I had oral contact on a business trip to the Carribbean. Met a local white lady mother of 3 separated who works for major company. We drank a lot at at local bar and I went home with her and her girlfriend for drinks and I messed around with her kissing, fondling and I gave her some oral and got fluids in my mouth. Not much. No intercourse or semen. She seems to practice safe sex since she in requested use of condom, which she had available, but I did not engage. A few days later when I got home I developed a bad head cold and went to the doctor and it's cleared up. Started to get real tired later that month since I had traveled a lot plus went skiing. No fever, flu or aches. Middle of Feb. got pressue on my ears and face and got treated for sinus infection. time clearing up and doctor did CBC and Sed Test and that was normal. Left for Asia a few weeks ago and things have gotten worse and will have to cut my trip short to see the doctors again. Have developed fever, night sweats and feeling bad and pain, tenderness and warmth around my groin area and buttocks and thighs. Freaking out that I may have been infected by her. These
fever and pain symptoms started last week. In Feb when I was dealing with the sinus I contacted her on her status and she said she was clean and had been tested about 12 months ago. Needless to say she was upset with my call. I feel bad, in pain, and fear that I have been infected. Usually very healthy. First question is can this be a ARS infection or
something related or just bad timing. Did have a case of bad food in Asia and that cleared up. I plan to tell
my doctor the whole story and get tested for everything. I will get back to the US this week and it will all come out. Lots of fear. This was my only slip up in a long marriage. Appreciate your thoughts.
is my guilt as well. Having all of these issues in the same time span is freaking me out.  Let me know your thoughts.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Correct.  No need for further tests.  EWH

[ulrich1965]

Took a HIV Antibody test yesterday which is close to the 3 month mark. Came back today NEGATIVE, which is what you predicted. I assume I need no further tests.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help.  When you test you will find that this in not ARS but a manifestation of some other, probably viral illness.  Take care.  EWH

[ulrich1965]

Thank you for your comments.Guilt is part of it. However the symptoms of some type of viral illness have been heavy. With the ongoing fever I will cut my trip short and deal with it in the US.  Both the timing and the severity have had me perplexed. Does not help reading the Internet. Reassuring that you do not feel it is ARS related. I have learned a lot about HIV thru this ordeal via IPad. This is a worthy service you provide. Take care.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  In preparing to answer your questions I read some of your interchanges on the HIV community site in which you stated you were going to try to move forward and stop worrying about your contact in the Caymans.  I see that that has not yet been successful.  I hope that by re-iterating some of what our community site members have told you that I can help to reduce your concerns.  

Your exposures were no risk.  For starters, it is unlikely that your partner had HIV - most heterosexual women, even those with multiple partners do not.  In addition, kissing is no risk, even deep kissing. As for oral sex, 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 the chance that you have gotten HIV through the exposures you report is essentially zero.

As for your symptoms, these are not ARS.  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, far 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).  In your own case, the rigors of travel and exposures on planes, etc are the likely source of your symptoms, not ARS.  For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time.

You can go on and get tested to help provide peace of mind.  At this time the test result, which I am confident will be negative, will provide definitive laboratory evidence to support what I have just said- you are not at risk for HIV from the exposure you mention above.  Now it is time to focus on your guilt so you can move forward from this.  I hope my comments help.  EWH