People with symptoms that concern them never should just search the web for any and all sites they can find. Be selective. Limit such searches to authoritative sites that are not run by companies with something to sell, and avoid sites run by disease-specific advocacy groups. Also, don't even LOOK at commentts posted by medically untrained persons, especially on sites where such comments are unmonitored by a knowledgeable authority. (You will not find much BS information on this site; I delete any medically unsupported comments that I see.)
For STD/HIV information, most government sources are excellent (CDC, NIH, local and state health departments); the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org); for HIV in particular, thebody.com; for herpes in particular, www.westoverheights.com.
HHH, MD
A related discussion,
saliva getting into the open wound was started.
A related discussion,
saliva getting into the open wound was started.
A related discussion,
saliva getting into the open wound was started.
A related discussion,
saliva getting into the open wound was started.
Mentioned in a previous post, was that hiv was transfered through bleeeding gums, could this led to hiv infection through an open wound if there was blood in the saliva? If so, what are the risks?
Got it, thanks so very much Dr.
Thank you Dr...your words are certainly encouraging for me ,maybe thats what I needed to hear right now. If I was totally rational at this time I probably would not have posted the question but I needed a medical perspective on my risk.
It's hard to know what to believe when some internet sites say yes saliva had the potential to infect and others say no it doesn't. Who do you believe?
Forget the saliva giving you HIV part, there is not enough virus in saliva to give you HIV. I think there has been only 1 case where the CDC suspects kissing may be the way HIV was transmitted, and I believe it was where both people were suspected to have bleeding gums. That is one case of suspecting out of the billions of epsisodes of kissing that have happened with HIV infected people. There are serodiscordant couples that kiss all the time. Forget it.
You are most definitely being overly paranoid. No one gets HIV from kissing.
You mentioned biting your tongue as a nervous habit - if you're not currently being treated for your anxiety, that sounds to me like the place to start. Meds and therapy can really help :-)
Thanks Will :) I looked at that site days ago.
Read through some reponses here on kissing:
http://tinyurl.com/elagb
This forum and the above site are really the only ones I trust.
Thanks WIll...Is this true? Oh God I hope you are right but the uncertainty is driving me insane.
Just because it has been isolated does not equate to the ability to infect.
Thanks Monkey and Will,
At times I have moments of clarity and can see your points but researching infectiousness of saliva on the internet is probably not helping. Many studies say that hiv has been isolated from saliva in infected people so I suppose I am not 100% convinced that saliva into a direct open wound isn't a risk .
As others have already responded (below): yes, you are being paraoid. Get a grip. You cannot catch HIV from the exposures you describe--the risk is lower than the chance you will die of some unexpected accident or illness (not HIV!) in the coming week. The level of anxiety and fear you express is truly irrational and abnormal.
Australia has the world's best network of STD clinics, called sexual health centers.
There are SHCs in all major cities. Visit one for personal evaluation and reassurance. They also can tell you what specific HIV tests are done there. (But trust me, it's the latest technology and a 5 week result is highly reassuring).
HHH, MD