Risk of Hiv?

[M747]

I'm a gay and had sex with another guy the other night. We used a condom at all times he was inside me. He took the condom off and we mastrubated together until he came. He carried on playing and fingering my anus for a short while after. I am worried since I think a bit of his semen might have been on his finger and it ended up inside me. I don't know the status of the other guy. I also discovered a small cut/tear today around my anus which was bleeding a tiny bit. Am I in a big risk of contracting hiv? Should I go for a test? I am really worried

I've kindly asked Joggen in the other forum who doesn't think there is any risk at all but I just wanted a Dr's opinion as well,

I don't understand what the difference is if someone comes inside you which is considered as very high risk and to the situation/exposure explained above?

Many thanks for all your help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. Before I address your question, let me congratulate you on your commitment to safe, condom protected sex.  It, along with discussion of HIV/STD status with prospective partners will do an awful lot to keep you healthy and safe.

Now for your question.  We receive many questions about encounters in which there is concern that a partner may have introduced genital secretions and/or blood into a partner in the course of mutual masturbation and the possibility that this transfer may have transformed safe sex into unsafe sex.  Let me reassure you that the encounter you describe still falls directly into the category of safe sex and does not put you at risk for HIV even if your partner was infected.  It is quite typical for person's engaged in safe sex to get each other's sections on one another and for those secretions to be in places where it is logical to be concerned that they may have been introduced and therefore put someone at risk for HIV. Despite these events, which indeed happen remarkably often, no one has EVER gotten HIV in this way.  Your exposure was still safe and you do not need to be concerned, nor testing for this exposure.

Hope this clarifies things for you.  Take care.  EWH

[M747]

Many thanks for your prompt reply. You've put my mind at rest. Just out of curosity what is the difference in getting body fluids ie semen inside you safer that way when it's high risk if someone came inside you whilst having non protected sex which is very high risk?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

It has been suggested that the micro-abrasions associated with the friction of sex make the difference but to be honest, it has never been ( and cannot be) studied).  My statment is based on scientific studies of literally thousand and thousands of people.  EWH

[M747]

Thank you again. Just a last question. Is it true that the HIV virus dies quite quickly once it has left the body?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes.  EWH

[M747]

Dear Dr Hook, Thank you again for your anwser. Sorry just one more question.

I've just read on another website where they are saying it is a risk with this kind of  activity.  Is it a risk since there might have been quite a lot of semen on the finger and it all ended up inside me? I'm getting worried again after reading this other page.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If you continue to crusie the internet you will get lots of conflicting opinions and plenty of mis-information.  I disagree with the idea that there was any rsik to your exposure.  I will not engage in a debate however (it serves no purpose).  EWH

[M747]

So would you still regard it as safe, even if it would have been quite a lot of semen involved?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As I said, my assessment and recommendations ahve not changed.  I will not repeat myself again.  Did you think I wasn't paying attention the first time?  EWH

[M747]

Of course I think you were paying attention. Many thanks for all your anwsers. I had a herpes outbreak about four weeks prior to this incident. Which I had thought had cleared. If the sore I noticed the day after since I was bleeding would have been there from the outbreak, would it have been a risk? Just wondering since I know a herpes sore is a point of entry for the HIV virus?

Many thanks and yes you are very right I shouldn't be looking at internet!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are letting your anxieties work overtime.  Your question is really a "what if" question which suggests that you are wondering if your prior HSV outbreak might have lasted 4 weeks and not been noticed by you and then lead to the bleeding you described.  REally, do you think that is a possiblity.  I don't.

You said 3 questions ago that that was your "last question".  It hasn't worked out that way.  It appears that my willingness to try to answer each successive question only generates more.  Hence this will be my last response and it is the same as my first response.  The exposure you describe did not put you at risk for HIV.  

I hope this helps.  Take care.  EWH

[M747]

You are right. Time to try to move on. Many many thanks for all your help!!!