4 rashes are on the back right side of my neck each smaller than an inch across. The lymph nodes in that are very tender. I'm concerned after noticing articles relating shingles to an HIV infection. I'll begin with my sexual history. I had unprotected sex with 2 girlfriends back in the early to mid-90's. Both are now married, have children and seem to be doing well. The last time I had unprotected sex was in 2000 with my ex-girlfriend of 3 years. She was a bit promiscuous prior to meeting me. I'm not sure of her current health but I do know she is pregnant, appears healthy and has a significant other. Since 2000, I have had sex with about 5 different women and have always used a condom. We did partake in unprotected oral sex,cunnilingus and digital penetration. I do bite my fingernails and cuticles but I have always checked to make sure they were healed (of course that is subjective) before an encounter. I currently have a girlfriend and we have always used a condom but we have had unprotected oral sex, cunnilingus and digital penetration. She was recently tested for HIV and her results were negative. Her malaise was the reason she was tested. My medical history:
Youth:
1976 - chicken pox
1977 - pneumonia, asthma and allergies
1984 - I have always had fingernails that sometimes grow a bit "dented" or "pitted" and I have also always been plagued with canker sores a few times a year.
1994 - Epididymitis
1998, 2007 - prostatitis
1999 - Mitral Valve Prolapse
2008 - Alopecia Areata
2009 -Gastritis
- Given my sexual history, what is my risk of being positive? I'm concerned about the unprotected sex-vaginal, oral,cunnilingus & digital penetration-in relation to the timing of my rash.
- Does anything else in my medical history have any relation to HIV?
- Do you think a lot of my ailments(canker sores, pitted nails, alopecia areata, gastritis, perhaps others...even this outbreak of shingles) could be interrelated to an altogether different autoimmune issue?