Infected Gland

I am a 23 year old female and about 3 months ago I received oral sex. A couple days later I started feeling like I was getting a bladder infection or possible herpes outbreak (which I was diagnosed with about 5 years ago but rarely have outbreaks). I went to the doctor and he said I had inflammed hemmroids and an infected vaginal gland in the area between my vagina and anas. He gave me antibiotics and it cleared up right away. My concern is that I know I had some cracking in that area due to my hemmroid problem and I am worried that saliva entered and could have caused Hiv infection. I haven't really been sick. Just some headaches, (but I am also quitting smoking) and some fatigue, but I think I could be causing this due to my constant worry for the past 3 months. I now have noticed that I have a small herpes outbreak on the side of my buttocks and like I said I can't even remember the last time I had one. Could this also just be caused by my worry and stress or could it be an early symptom of hiv. I have never gotten an infected gland from oral sex and I am concerned but I'm not sure how concerned I should be about this. Please respond quickly. Thank you, Hype

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You shouldn't be concerned at all about HIV, which is almost never tansmitted by saliva.  Herpes recurrences are ra ndom; a change in frequency or pattern of outbreaks almost never is due to HIV infection.

But if you want to be even more certain, have an HIV test.  Three months is plenty of time for the test to turn positive.  So if the result is negative--as it almost certainly will be--you can rest easy.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[monkeyflower]

Was it an infected Bartholin's gland cyst? If so, I think that's usually caused by your own bacteria, so its appearance after oral is probably just coincidence.

Personally, I think that even with the cracked skin, your chances of contracting HIV from receiving unprotected oral one time are slim to none. HIV isn't spread through saliva, so unless your partner (maybe) had open cuts in his/her mouth, I wouldn't think it would have any effect at all - and even then, it's mighty slim. Oral is really such a low-risk activity, and mainly for the giver, not reciever. Any real risk as a recipient would be herpes, but since you already have genital herpes, regardless of whether it's HSV1 or 2 it's not really an issue.

As for the herpes, I can tell you outbreaks can most definitely be caused by stress. If you've spent three months worrying about HIV, it's no wonder you're feeling fatigued, headachy and having another outbreak. Why not get tested for HIV and rid yourself of this worry once and for all?

Good luck! Hope you feel better soon :-)

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

To all STD Forum readers:  I am playing catch-up, going through a large number of