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Risk from single contact
Dear Doctor,
first I make exsuses myself if my english is no good, I
first I make exsuses myself if my english is no good, I
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your English is fine. And your risk for HIV remains very low.
The estimated risks for vaginal sex (1 in 1000 male to female, 1 in 2000 female to male) are derived from analyzing the apparent routes of infection in AIDS cases reported in the United States, compared with estimates of the frequency of unprotected vaginal intercourse. No single STD clinic, including my own, sees enough patients with HIV to make any statistically valid comparison between the clinic's own experience and the broader estimates. In any case, those estimates are very rough; the actual risk may be very much higher (or very much lower) for any particular exposure, depending on things that typically people do not know: whether or not the partner is infected at all, how recent the infection is, whether the infected person is on treatment, whether other STDs are present, and other factors.
Your doctor is exactly right: Almost all heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in industrialized countries (N. America, Western Europe, Australia, etc) occur in the regular sex partners of infected persons--not in people with single, casual exposures. I never recommend HIV testing for people with single exposures, except in particularly high risk situations, such as anal or vaginal sex with a partner known to be infected. Persons with occasional unsafe sex are wiser to simply get tested periodically, such as once a year, and not worry about particular sexual exposures.
Finally, do not hold me (or any other expert) to identical expressions of risk, or numbers of patients seen with a particular condition, every time we respond to a similar question. Nobody's memory is perfect. I don't know whether my clinic has seen zero, 1, 2, or maybe even 5 cases of heterosexually acquired HIV over the years. The point is that it is very rare; the exact numbers don't matter.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The estimated risks for vaginal sex (1 in 1000 male to female, 1 in 2000 female to male) are derived from analyzing the apparent routes of infection in AIDS cases reported in the United States, compared with estimates of the frequency of unprotected vaginal intercourse. No single STD clinic, including my own, sees enough patients with HIV to make any statistically valid comparison between the clinic's own experience and the broader estimates. In any case, those estimates are very rough; the actual risk may be very much higher (or very much lower) for any particular exposure, depending on things that typically people do not know: whether or not the partner is infected at all, how recent the infection is, whether the infected person is on treatment, whether other STDs are present, and other factors.
Your doctor is exactly right: Almost all heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in industrialized countries (N. America, Western Europe, Australia, etc) occur in the regular sex partners of infected persons--not in people with single, casual exposures. I never recommend HIV testing for people with single exposures, except in particularly high risk situations, such as anal or vaginal sex with a partner known to be infected. Persons with occasional unsafe sex are wiser to simply get tested periodically, such as once a year, and not worry about particular sexual exposures.
Finally, do not hold me (or any other expert) to identical expressions of risk, or numbers of patients seen with a particular condition, every time we respond to a similar question. Nobody's memory is perfect. I don't know whether my clinic has seen zero, 1, 2, or maybe even 5 cases of heterosexually acquired HIV over the years. The point is that it is very rare; the exact numbers don't matter.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I had a similar case happen with me in Rome whereby the condom broke and the exposure would have been max to max not more than 30 seconds. I have been feeling sick ever since last 6 months. On a 12 week battery of tests including HIV, Hep-B and HSV-2, my HSV-2 test came out positive. I am not really sure about the concept of industrialized nations because even in US more than 25% people infected with HIV do not know if they have the infection. I have had each and every possible symptom and it scares the hell out of me knowing the possibility that herpes inreases risk of hiv transmission. For me, I can not term my exposure as a low risk also as most of the vaginal encounters are termed on this forum. So, I think, the concept of low and high risj are very relative to a aprticular case. Mine was low risk till 12th week when I discovered my HSV-2 IgG to be 1.310 on 1.0 scale. Its then when my low risk turned to high risk.
Thank you very much, Doctor.
To quote the comment of o_g: here we are talking about HIV, not herpes, and i'm very happy to know that you didn't take HIV from that contact.
To quote the comment of o_g: here we are talking about HIV, not herpes, and i'm very happy to know that you didn't take HIV from that contact.
I was talking in reference to HIV only and singling out situations which increase the possibility of HIV infection as per what Doc has mentioned in his post --- "whether other STDs are present". I am touched that you feel happy for me but the ordeal ain't over yet.. :-(
When I said i'm happy, I was talking seriously
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
