Question re symptoms

[blueeyeboy30]

Dear Sir/Madam

On the 11th of November 2011 i had sexual intercourse with a female sex worker. The condom broke and i was probably inside her for 3 - 5 minutes max.

Approximately 20 days later i started to experience some kind of rash/spots in isolated locations on my body.There could be an itch with this from time to time...to this date ( 6th Marh 2012) it does not appear to have subsided. Although it appeared to be fine the last 2 weeks but appears to be itchy again. Overall i have had probably 10 - 12 different spots on my chest, 2 - 3 on my neck (appeared approx. 6 weeks later) approx. 7 on my right leg (5 have never gone away and look like normal spots) maybe 3 on my left leg and a slight itch from time to time on my shoulders..sometimes i see a spot or 2 there...there were no other symptoms when these first appeared. The rash was never really noticeable such as when i went swimming or had my top off no one made any comment...i notice a new similar spot on my leg after football last night..

I live in a very hot country and went to ireland for xmas..where approx 6 - 7 weeks after the exposure got a cold....about another month i got a cold..but i think this was passed from my 2 colleagues....

My questions are:

Do these sound like ars sysmptons?

Can hiv be passed through say a cut from vaginal secretions ( no blood from cut as cut in healing process/scab) or broken skin?

I will be going to a wedding in thailand in 5 weeks where i will have a test carried out. I cant test in the middle east as i run the risk of expulsion from the country. However i am quite worried and I have no one to confide in over here. The lady in question said she was not hiv positive and should not worry as she checks all the time...i also told my mother i have not smoked for the last 6 months!!!!!

Regards,

Mr D

[blueeyeboy30]

hi sean thanks for the answers to my questions....just a final one...from the information i have read on the internet regarding HIV rashes, it appears that they are an early symptom of hiv and usually only last 7 - 14 days and most time is not the only symptom...plus it says that its usually all over and very noticeable...is this information accurate as what i have been expeirencing the last couple of months does not appear to be the same..thanks in advance...Mr D

[Dr Sean Cummings]

Good Morning Mr D

You asked:-

"Do these sound like ars sysmptons?

NO, THEY DO NOT

Can hiv be passed through say a cut from vaginal secretions ( no blood from cut as cut in healing process/scab) or broken skin?

SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WILL GENERATE MICRO-ABRASIONS IN THE GENITAL AREA. THESE ARE INVISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE AND DO NOT BLEED. THESE MAY FACILITATE TRANSFER OF HIV IF EITHER PARTY IS HIV POSITIVE.

I will be going to a wedding in thailand in 5 weeks where i will have a test carried out. I cant test in the middle east as i run the risk of expulsion from the country. However i am quite worried and I have no one to confide in over here. The lady in question said she was not hiv positive and should not worry as she checks all the time...i also told my mother i have not smoked for the last 6 months!!!!!

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE COMMENT ABOUT SMOKING MEANS. I THINK ON BALANCE YOU WILL BE FINE AND NOT HIV POSITIVE. THE CHANCES OF HIV ACQUISITION, ASSUMING THE LADY WAS HIV POSITIVE, ARE AROUND 1 IN 1200 OR SO PER EPISODE. CONSEQUNETLY THE STATISTICAL CHANCES ARE LOW. SEX WORKERS DO HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF STD'S. YOU WOULD BE SENSIBLE TO HAVE AN HIV TEST AS YOU SUGGEST.

best wishes, Sean