what's my risk?

[plb23]

I have a question, this week I had a very casual encounter with a stranger.  Both were drunk.  I performed unprotected cunnilingus for about 5 minutes and then we had protected vaginal sex.  No breakage with the condom.  Then she left.  I am nervous because I was just in a long relationship so I am not used to something so random.  Should I be nervous?  Should I get tested?

Thanks,
Pete

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The exposure you describe was very low risk.  You do not know your partner but, unless she was an IV drug user or something like that, it is most unlikely that she had HIV.  Furthermore, you used a condom for vaginal sex making that exposure virtually zero risk as well.  That leaves 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.  This includes by all of the people who had gum disease, etc.

Putting all of this together your risk is very, very low and there is really no medical reason for you to be tested based on this exposure.  On the other hand, assuming that you will continue to date in this fashion, you qualify for periodic STD "screening (testing in the absence of symptoms) because you have had multiple partners over a period of less than a year.  As a matter of personal protection, we recommend annual testing for anyone who has had new or two or more sex partners in the past year (we consider this to be health maintenance- we also recommend you get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly).

Hope this helps.  EWH