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H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.  
Male
Seattle, WA

Interests: HIV Prevention

University of Washington
Seattle, WA
My Posts
Full STD Check
12 hours in the STDs Expert Forum
The tests you had are definitely adequate. Most STD specialists rarely test people for anything else unless there are special risks beyond sexual exposure itself -- e.g. hepatitis C in people who share injection equipment. You clearly had sexually acquired urethritis 6 years ago. At this point you will never know whether it was chlamydia, NGU, or gonorrh...
Full STD Check
22 hours in the STDs Expert Forum
Welcome to the forum. I'll try to help. 1) As you were told by Dr. Gonzalez-Garcia, you had a low risk exposure that carried little or no chance of STD transmission. And although you have had other exposures, it sounds like you consistently practice safe sex. Even with entirely safe exposures, however, it is reasonable for all sexually active people (...
PEP
Feb 11, 2012 in the HIV Prevention Expert Forum
This is an HIV prevention and safe sex forum, not an HIV treatment forum. We do not advise about HIV treatment, even when used for PEP -- and especially when we would not have recommended PEP, as we discussed in your previous thread. In addition, I have no personal experience actually administering these drugs for PEP. I cannot imagine that a couple of ext...
Environmental exposure?
Feb 11, 2012 in the HIV Prevention Expert Forum
Welcome to the forum. I'll try to help. You should not have the slightest worry about this event. Nobody in the world has ever caught HIV in this manner. The chance that a random "small metal object in the street" would be contaminated with human blood has to be zero or close to it; and by your description, your skin wasn't broken anyway. A...
Mysterious Bump
Feb 11, 2012 in the STDs Expert Forum
Welcome to the forum and thanks for your question. I'll try to help. Bottom line: it is unlikely any STD explains your symptoms. You give an excellent description of probable folliculitis (hair follicle infection), with really nothing very suggestive of herpes or syphilis -- which are the only STDs likely to cause any sort of skin problem like this. The...
Confuse about test results
Feb 10, 2012 in the HIV Prevention Expert Forum
Glad to have helped; thanks for the thanks. Now move on, ignoring any and all additional "what if" scenarios that may come to mind.
Multiple symptoms
Feb 10, 2012 in the STDs Expert Forum
This information does not change my opinion or advice. Your description of your husband's skin lesion doesn't sound like syphilis, but sounds typical for folliculitis or a boil -- which apparently was what his doctor thought as well. In any case, his negative syphilis blood test proves that was not the diagnosis. I have no advice about other doctors to s...
Herpes questions
Feb 10, 2012 in the STDs Expert Forum
I agree this still doesn't sound like herpes, and I wonder whether you are just looking too closely and noticing normal hair follicles or sebaceous glands. But if you're confident your penile skin isn't normal, you should visit a doctor or clinic for examination and diagnosis.
Confuse about test results
Feb 10, 2012 in the HIV Prevention Expert Forum
Both versions are appropriate: you should rest and not retest!
Confuse about test results
Feb 10, 2012 in the HIV Prevention Expert Forum
Welcome fo the forum. I'm happy to confirm the accurate replies you had on the HIV international and community forums. You had a low to zero risk exposure, symtoms that did not suggest a new HIV infection, and negative tests that confirm you don't have HIV. To your specific questions: 1) Your negative test results are conclusive for all the sexual expos...