BISEXUAL male - HIV/Herpes Risk

Hello,

I am a 19 year old bisexual man.  On Sunday, January 23rd I lost my virginity to a man.  The guy had his mouth on my penis for one second before I pushed him off and put on a condom.  After the oral sex, we engaged in anal sex.  I still had my condom on and the entire thing lasted 30 seconds.  When I pulled out there was blood and residue on the condom.  The condom was quickly discarded.

The very next morning I woke up with a burning sensation on my upper thighs and into my groin area which continues to this day.  However there are no lesions, bumps, or sores yet.

Yesterday I found out that the guy I was with is HIV positive!

1) What is the risk of me having contracted the virus??
2) What do you think is the cause of the burning sensation??
   Herpes??

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

1) Even if one partner has HIV, the risk of catching it during any single anal sex encounter, even without a condom, is low.  Oral-genital sex is highly safe, especially for the insertive partner.  So your overall risk from that exposure was very low.

2) Your symptoms do not suggest anything in particular, except perhaps anxiety over the event.  Neither HIV, herpes, nor any other STD causes such symptoms, and no STD or HIV can cause symptoms of any kind in less than 24 hours after exposure.

Some general advice, since you're just becoming sexually active; it applies to all gay men. No gay man should EVER have sex with anyone, even when safe sex (condom, oral sex only, etc) is planned, without first discussing and sharing each other's HIV status.  There is really no excuse for you to learn his HIV status the next day instead of before having sex.  (Why is it important even with safe sex?  Because condoms break, and in the heat of the moment, plans to stay safe often disappear.)  Even though the risk of HIV transmission is low for any single exposure, the cumulative risk is high over many exposures and multiple partners. if you do not follow these guidelines, you can pretty well expect to catch HIV someday.  A harsh message, perhaps, but one you need to think carefully about.

Good luck.  Get safe and stay that way--   HHH, MD

[strangeworld]

You are fine, no need to worry. You had protected sex.

[worried in toronto]

Great site Dr. H.

I have become far better educated on std's reading over your answers in all categories. Thanks for helping everyone out.

Rog.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Thanks for the thanks!

HHH, MD

[jazz504]

A related discussion, Herpes was started.