Risky exposures

[RobertLow]

Hello Doctors

I have been with my current GF for more than 3 years. I know She has not cheated on me at all during that time I trust her 100%, However, I have done some not so nice things. I have been involved in some highly risky behaviors on two occasions. On two occasions I have visited SWs and in both occasions I have engaged in fellatio or Oral Sex with a condom on the whole time, I have not had vaginal or anal sex.

In hindsight, I realize my past sins might be catching up to me. I do believe I might have contracted an STD and transmitted it to her. Recently both my GF and I have test negative for STDs however I remain fearful that I might have given her something in the past. Here are my questions:

1) I know that being with a SW is an extremely high risk exposure (how could it not be?) . How would you rate my risks?

2) I understand that I might have acquired some bacterial STDs from this. However, to be honest I never had any real symptoms that alerted me but then again I was not thinking about it at the time. Is it conceivable to have a bacterial infection and have the symptoms be so mild as to no notice anything?

Please let me know.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Re-read my answer, paragraph 2, sentence 1. Fellatio is sex.  There is no need to repeat myself,.  EWH

[RobertLow]

Thank you for your response. Can you please let me know what risks I was exposed to with a Condom protected fellatio?

[Argentina2010]

The only STD that comes to mind even if you have protected sex is Herpes...ALL others cannot be passed on when using protection, such as incurable diseases such as HIV/Syphillis..you should be okay.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Let's go directly to your questions, let me remind you that although CSWs DO have higher STD rates than most of the general population, most still do not have STDs. Furthermore, CSWs should not be considered as a single big group since there is variation in STD rates based on price, circumstance, etc.  Finally, even if your partners did have an STD, you describe single exposures and the fact is STDs are not transmitted with the majority of exposures to infected partners, thus your "mis-steps" are not particularly likely to have lead to STDs.

In your own case, condom protected sex is safe sex and thus your risk form STDs is virtually non-existent. Thus, although STDs indeed can be present with no or very minor symptoms, in your case it is most unlikely that this has occurred.  Thus, while I am confident that the exposures you describe did not put you or your GF at risk if you have doubts, then you should seek STD "screening", that is testing in the absence of signs or symptoms. this can carried out discretely through your local health department- you might call and ask about the availability of services.  EWH