Woried on HIV

Hello Doctors!  I am russian man and I make visits from time to time with escorting ladies in Moscow and St. Peterburg I am meeting on internet or clubs.  I have no problems ever, but several months ago I had period with some night sweatings where I woken up soaking wet with sweatings.  I think its been cold in my bedroom, and i thought my body gives me the extra warmth with this heat creating.  My regular physisian he told me its normal, like a good sweating almost for the body to give extra heat.  But I made some online researches and I find out that this sweatings can be the symptoms of the HIV and now I become so upset and depresed. My condoms always works fine, except for 1 time it comes off for couple minutes.  I also sometimes give and recieve  oral sex.  So, now I felt maybe I make a terrible mistake somehow, and this night sweatings i had meens i got the hiv.  

Can you tell to me, what is the chances i have caughten the HIV from the problem the 1 time with the condom off for couple minutes?  And also, from the oral sex give and recieve?  And also, all times condoms not broken, its ok for me, no risk, or maybe i don't understand?  Also, i shall visit the health clinic to make a testing just to feel better, but i don't know about what testing to ask for, which is accurate testings and which is not.  My frend he told me to make a fast test that you can hear on right there.  but i dont want to make a test which gives not accurate informations back and makes me more nervus.  Thanks for advising to me!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sdrasdvuitye!  (I'm not sure how to spell that in roman alphabet....)

The risk of HIV from a single brief exposure without a condom is low.  Even with no condom at all, the average chance of HIV transmission is about once for every 2,000 episodes of unprotected vaginal sex.  Oral sex is even safer, with an average of one transmission for every 10-20,000 eexposures.  And even in Russia, where HIV is more common than in North America or Europe, the large majority of women are not infected.  Finally, your doctor is correct; your minor symptoms do not suggest HIV.

Every person who is sexually active outside permanent, mutually monogamous relationships should have an HIV test from time to time, like once a year.  So if you have not been tested recently, this would be a good time, since it is on your mind.  While you're at it, consider having a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia and a blood test for syphilis.  You are at higher risk for those STDs than for HIV.

If a rapid HIV test is negative, it is just as reliable as a laboratory-based test.  However, the rapid tests have a slightly greater chance of giving a false positive result.  But even that is uncommon.  Go ahead and be tested, either with a rapid test or a laboratory-based test.  You will feel better knowing you aren't infected.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[woriedmaninrussia]

Sdrasdvuitye Doctor Handsfield!    Thanks to yu for your good explanations, it makes already me feeling better and that my worries is likely for no reasons.  What means this false positive you write on, thjat means the rapid test has good chances to show I have caughten the hiv even if i have not done so?  If that is true, i think it will give me heart attack for no reasons, so its maybe better just to get the full laboratory test?  Im also reading from other comments and your colleeg Dr. Hook he says avoid the 'PCR' or "antigen' tests, will the russian clinic understand me when i say this?

Also, im sure you will say this is stupid question by dumb man, but the condoms they are working to stop the hiv virus, as long as tip of penis is covered, it is no worry about timeswith condom?  Well, i hereby sware before my life that i shall never visit any more escort girls just so long as G-d gives me the good test resuls!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

False positve means the test shows a positive result that is not true.  It suggests someone has HIV, but he does not.  It is uncommon, but is more frequent with the rapid test than with tests done in the laboratory.

The Russian clinic will know about PCR.  That test is done only in special situations, not in cases like yours.  You don't even need to mention it.

You are correct about condoms.  It is mostly important that the head of the penis is covered.