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Vaginal Fluid in / on Condom and Lymph Nodes
Dear Drs,
Please help me with my question. I am a male and 10 days ago I visited a massage parlour in Singapore and had an oil massage from a female CSW. After the massage I fingered the masseuse. I then washed my hands and put on a condom. After the condom was on we had protected oral and then protected vaginal sex (vaginal sex for less than one minute). No ejaculation occured.
I then removed the condom with the help of the CSW - it is highly likely that we both had vaginal fluid on our fingers from removing the condom. This is where my concern starts. We then put a second condom on me and had another session of protected oral following which I ejaculated in the condom.
I am very concerned that vaginal fluid on my hands / her hands (from removing the first condom) made its way onto the inside of the second condom and onto and then into my penis. I am convinced that both her hands and also mine had vaginal fluid on them and that both of our fingers touched my penis head and the inside of the second condom.
At 9 days I developed a swollen lymph node (one only with another starting to become tender) in one armpit (about the size of a seed pip and does not hurt). At 10 days I developed lymph node swelling (one only) and also about the size of a seed pip. Visited doctor and confirmed that lymph nodes noticeable however not overly inflamed. No further node swelling at this time. No fever at this time. I have a general tenderness under my arms.
Do you think that this event exposed me to HIV?
Thank you.
Please help me with my question. I am a male and 10 days ago I visited a massage parlour in Singapore and had an oil massage from a female CSW. After the massage I fingered the masseuse. I then washed my hands and put on a condom. After the condom was on we had protected oral and then protected vaginal sex (vaginal sex for less than one minute). No ejaculation occured.
I then removed the condom with the help of the CSW - it is highly likely that we both had vaginal fluid on our fingers from removing the condom. This is where my concern starts. We then put a second condom on me and had another session of protected oral following which I ejaculated in the condom.
I am very concerned that vaginal fluid on my hands / her hands (from removing the first condom) made its way onto the inside of the second condom and onto and then into my penis. I am convinced that both her hands and also mine had vaginal fluid on them and that both of our fingers touched my penis head and the inside of the second condom.
At 9 days I developed a swollen lymph node (one only with another starting to become tender) in one armpit (about the size of a seed pip and does not hurt). At 10 days I developed lymph node swelling (one only) and also about the size of a seed pip. Visited doctor and confirmed that lymph nodes noticeable however not overly inflamed. No further node swelling at this time. No fever at this time. I have a general tenderness under my arms.
Do you think that this event exposed me to HIV?
Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
In the thousands of questions during the 8+ years of thie forum, not one questioner has caught HIV from an exposure they asked about. You're not going to be the first. If and when that happens, it will be from a legitimate high risk exposure, not one anything like yours. I know you're worried, but you need to think critically and concentrate on the science, the epidemiologic history, and the reasoned reassurance you have had.
So stay mellow. This is going to turn out fine.
So stay mellow. This is going to turn out fine.
Thank you very much. My own anxiety levels are difficult to control however your comments are helpful. My doctor has advised that I need to monitor the nodes so I will visit the doctor in the next week or so and take advice on further steps.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This inforation doesn't change my opinion or advice. My assessment of your risk includes all the factors you mention -- but mostly the simple fact that HIV is rarely if ever acquired during vaginal sex with a condom (if the condom doesn't break), and that many (most) condom protected exposures include the kind of events you describe. Plus the low chance your massage partner had HIV.
Dear Dr. Handsfield,
Thank you for your prompt response. Overnight additional lymph nodes have become swollen. There are now currently three nodes under each arm (towards the lower part of my armpits). Each is approximately the size of a seed pip. None of them hurting. I also now have some discomfort in my groin - more of a tingling sensation and no lumps / tenderness. Would this change your view of my situation?
Additionally is your view of my risk based on the statistics of infection or more to do with the probability that a low amount of vaginal fluid could have come in contact with my penis (inside the second condom) and that HIV does not infect outside of the host?
Thank you again.
Thank you for your prompt response. Overnight additional lymph nodes have become swollen. There are now currently three nodes under each arm (towards the lower part of my armpits). Each is approximately the size of a seed pip. None of them hurting. I also now have some discomfort in my groin - more of a tingling sensation and no lumps / tenderness. Would this change your view of my situation?
Additionally is your view of my risk based on the statistics of infection or more to do with the probability that a low amount of vaginal fluid could have come in contact with my penis (inside the second condom) and that HIV does not infect outside of the host?
Thank you again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
Although the replies to this question on the community forum were brief, they were accurate. You had entirely safe sex and were not at risk of HIV from the event described. HIV is much harder to transmit than you think. The regular partners of HIV infected persons often go many years, with frequent unprotected sex, without catching the virus; the average risk, if one partner has HIV, is once in every 1,000-2,000 episodes of unprotected vaginal sex. With the exposure you describe, it's a lot lower still. Further, well under 1% of sex workers in most of the world, probably including Singapore, have HIV -- so it is unlikely your massage work partner was infected.
As for your symptoms, a new HIV infection never causes just one or two enlarged lymph nodes, and absence of fever is also evidence against HIV. And certainly HIV can't cause tenderness under the arms. My guess is that the discomfort has resulted from your repeated feeling for lymph nodes. Stop trying to examine yourself.
So I agree with your doctor that there's nothing to worry about. You don't need HIV testing on account of this event, and if you have a regular partner you can safely continue unprotected sex without risk of transmitting HIV or any other STD.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
Although the replies to this question on the community forum were brief, they were accurate. You had entirely safe sex and were not at risk of HIV from the event described. HIV is much harder to transmit than you think. The regular partners of HIV infected persons often go many years, with frequent unprotected sex, without catching the virus; the average risk, if one partner has HIV, is once in every 1,000-2,000 episodes of unprotected vaginal sex. With the exposure you describe, it's a lot lower still. Further, well under 1% of sex workers in most of the world, probably including Singapore, have HIV -- so it is unlikely your massage work partner was infected.
As for your symptoms, a new HIV infection never causes just one or two enlarged lymph nodes, and absence of fever is also evidence against HIV. And certainly HIV can't cause tenderness under the arms. My guess is that the discomfort has resulted from your repeated feeling for lymph nodes. Stop trying to examine yourself.
So I agree with your doctor that there's nothing to worry about. You don't need HIV testing on account of this event, and if you have a regular partner you can safely continue unprotected sex without risk of transmitting HIV or any other STD.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
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