HIV Symptoms

[MadCamel]

Hi DR,

On 10/March/2011 i had sex with a a prostitute and unfortunately the condom broke. I did not realize it till we had finished sex. I immediately washed off my pines and started getting all the urine out of my body...don’t know if this would of helped but I did it anyway.


Three week exactly after that I had a mild fever (36.8 to 37.6 C) for two days with a body aches and Acute Pharyngitis (Ears minor pain). I had no rash or sore throat or any other symptoms. I got tested 3/March/2011 and it was negative (I know it is still early but i felt i had to do something).

Kindly, I would appreciate if you can answer the following questions:

1- what are my chances of getting HIV?
2- What are the Symptoms in details? i.e. how much temperature in degrees for a fever and what level of lymph node enlargement for the Pharyngitis?  

I really appreciate your reply to my questions.

Thanks & best regards,

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Because of the frequency of questions from Dubai on this forum, I have exchanged email with the director of the main STD clinic there (http://www.stdclinicdubai.com/).  Perhaps that's where you were tested.  I learned that HIV is rare in commercial sex workers in Dubai, including the many non-UAE sex workers there, and that new HIV infections are rare in Dubai, if they occur at all.  It has been a couple of years, but I doubt things have changed very much.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Bottom line:  Probably no risk of HIV.

You don't say where you are, which could make a difference in the chance your commercial partner has HIV.  But if in the US, the odds are low -- on average probably fewer than 1 in 1,000 sex workers are infected, although it could be higher in some settings, such as minority women in certain cities, or if your partner also is an injection drug user.  But even if she had HIV, the transmission risk was low, average 1 in 2,000 for each episode of unprotected vaginal sex with infected women.  For these reasons, in the US or other industrialized countries HIV is very rare following single casual heterosexual exposure; it hasn't happened to anyone who asked a question in the 7 years this forum has been in operation.

Symptoms are not helpful in judging new HIV infections.  The identical symptoms occur in acute HIV infection and in innumerable other, minor medical conditions.  In any case, your symptoms are on the late side -- usual onset is 10-14 days -- and HIV rarely causes only minor pharyngitis or low grade fever.  Over two thirds of newly infected people have all 3 among severe sore throat, fever (typcially 38C or higher), and body-wide skin rash.  Your symptoms suggest you caught a garden variety minor respiratory infection, not HIV.

Your actual testing date was obviously not March 3.  Maybe March 30 or 31?  If so, it is strongly reassuring; most infected people have positive results by 3-4 weeks.  For final reassurance, you could have another antibody test 6-8 weeks after exposure; or a duo test (for both antibody and p24 antigen) at any time -- 4 weeks is sufficient for definitive results.

I hope this helps.  Good luck--  HHH, MD

[MadCamel]

Hi Dr,

Thank you so much for your reply, and I am really happy that I have asked you. I wish all doctors are like you in taking the extra steps to answe their patients and finds the facts.

I wish you the best in both your life and career.

Once again thanks & best regards,

[MadCamel]

Hi Dr,

Thank you so much for the reply. I am currently in UAE, DUBAI. I got tested April 3rd and I do apologies for the mistake.

I feel much better now, and will have to wait for another couple of weeks to see.

Once again thanks & best regards,