HIV question

[sammen]

Hi Doctor,

I have posted on the other forum and received a reply earlier. Just needed some advice from you regarding my situation.

I have had exposures with 3 to 4 sex workers in Melbourne in the brothels. All the exposures be it oral or vaginal has been protected. Never had any unprotected exposures. Have never noticed any breaks or slippage as I normally tend to take the condom off myself after the session.

I have made up my mind to abstain from using sex workers as this has been giving quite a few amount of anxieties.
I tend to have muscle aches and sore throats which has been there for some time.

I have checked up with the Australian Aids foundation as well and they say that the HIV prevalance among sex workers in Australia is very rare and data of transmission from sex workers have been very very rare. The Health departments keep a check on the transmission data on a regular basis.

Based on my exposures do I have any fear of acquiring HIV. My doctor has also told me that there is nothing to worry. As per medical literature condom has been proven to protect from HIV is what my doctor said.

Your response regarding my exposure will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I reviewed your earlier interaction on the HIV Community site and agree with what you've been told there.  There is no reason for you to be worried about HIV at all.   There is no medical reason for you to seek testing either.  Related to this, let me provide you with some information that may be helpful.

1.  Other than abstinence, condoms are the most effective means for preventing HIV and other STIs.  Your correct and consistent condom use will go a long way towards preventing HIV.
2.  Licensed commercial sex workers in Australia (the ones at most brothels) are legally required to test for HIV and other STIs regularly.  As a result, there is very little risk that anyone you had sex with had HIV.
3.  I note that you wonder why sometimes, despite the absence of risk, we suggest that clients test for HIV.  The answer is that some persons insecurities are such that they benefit from the additional reassurance that a negative tests provide, despite the absence of risk.  

I hope these answers are helpful to you.   From what you say, there is no reason for you to be concerned that you might have acquired HIV (or any other STI for that matter) from the exposures you mention above,.

Take care.  EWH

[sammen]

Thank you very much. My last exposure was in end of april and have decided stay away from these activuties due to unnecessary anxieties.
Have a great day...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This question is unrelated to your earlier question and the boil you note is most probably unrelated to your exposure back in June.. This is a typical place for folliculitis to occur.  I recommend that you not squeeze it but have a health care professional take a look.  Alternatively, you may want to use hot compresses to try to bring it to a head so that it will burst and drain spontaneously.

Take care.  EWH

End of thread

[sammen]

Sorry to be back again. I developed a boil like growth in the groin region. it's painful. i developed it just today. it's a single growth. i have applied anti bacterial soap o  it. just worried it's not an STI.

thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help.  Take care. EWH

[sammen]

Thank you heaps.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, i fyou used a condom from start to finish and it covered the tip of your penis, you were protected.  

There are scientific studies which show that lambskin condoms do have small naturally occurring holes in them which are large enough that the HIV virus could pass through them however, I have never seen a case of HIV acquired by a person who used lambskin condoms.  The condoms provided by CSWs and in most brothels are typically latex or polyurethance.

Please do not worry. EWH

[sammen]

Thank you very much for your reply. It has calmed my fear down immensely. Having had a look at various websites there was quite a lot of info about condoms not being used correctly.
So if i had used the condom right from the start to finish means i have used correctly . And if i have been using condom everytime i have had sex means i have used it consistently. Am i right in saying that. Also just a quick last question about lambskin condoms, based on having read few replies on the forums you have stated that you have never known about a hiv transmission that has occured through right use of lambskin condoms.
Thank you again. Your responses on this site has been really vey helpful for people with hiv anxiety.