Can I be Infected?

[partyguy]

I met a girl at a bar(thursday night last week) and took her back to my room. She performed Oral on me without a condom. I have Herpes and I did not have an Outbreak on that day(but had one 10 days prior). The lesions seem to have been healed as nothing was visible.

After the incident, I had an outbreak immediately in 2 days. Went and got tested the next tuesday morning. All results came negative except Herpes... What are the chances that I might have been infected with any other STD's?

Also how long should I wait to get my next tests?

Thanks,

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, testing at four days will give accurate results.  Last post, take care.  EWH

[partyguy]

Hi Doctor,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Just a final clarification though, Will the tests performed 4 days after the incident give accurate results for Bacterial STDS?

I am planning to get tested again in 3 months to be sure of the HIV and HPV. Infact after I knew about my Herpes infection, I have minimized my sexual exposures and for the past 6 months it has been only the incident I have described, which again was stupid and under influence of Alcohol.

Thanks for your time and advise.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thanks for the clarification.  Hope I did not come across as judgement--my comments were made with good will in mind.

Regarding your risk of HIV and HPV--extraordinarily low.  I would not recommend testing other than the annual testing mentioned above.  When that yearly event occurs is your call.  

Good luck.   EWH

[partyguy]

Hi EWH,

Thanks for the reply.

I know it was stupid and I still feel bad for having had oral sex that night as the risk of passing herpes to her was high. Both were drunk and were out of senses. Since I have not known her before I am not sure of her STD history.

I do not have multiple partners in the past and the tag was just what came to my mind. I am on acyclovir. Sometimes I have no recurrence for 2 months sometimes I have once a month. This is the first time I am having it in about 2 weeks time. May be due to the stress of frequent travels and the late nights at work.

When should I get tested again. Are there chances that I might be infected by HIV or HPV through Oral sex.

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I am less concerned about her giving you and STD than you giving her herpes.  You had healed from one recent recurrence and were about to have another, thus your risk of having asymptomatic viral shedding is rather high.  There are ways to reduce the risk of transmitting to others (see below).

As far as your exposure, receipt of oral sex is relatively safe sex.  Even if STDs are present (and there is nothing you have told me to suggest that she might have been), the transmission through oral sex is very inefficient.  You are not at risk for herpes so that's out and as far as bacterial STDs are concerned, if there are no symptoms, I would not worry.

Now for a little bit more in the way of unsolicited advice.  Your tag name (partyguy) and report make me wonder if you have had multiple partners in the past year.  If so, you, like anyone with multiple partners, owes it to themselves and their partners to be screened for STDs once  a year.  This can be done at a local health department or a private health care provider.  Also, I note that you report two genital HSV outbreaks in just a few weeks.  We now know that chronic suppressive therapy with daily ingestion of valacyclovir, famciclovir, or acyclovir is likely to both reduce the frequency of symptomatic recurrences, of asymtomatic shedding of the virus and of transmission of infection to others.  You may want to consider this as well

Hope this helps.  EWH