I am scared.

[worrysome494]

Hi doctors, 3 nights ago, I went to a bar with some friends. After a couple drinks, I deep kissed/french kissed another guy for maybe 2-4 minutes and that was it. We exchanged number. The next day, he text me telling me that he has been HIV positive for the last four years and he said he wanted me to know about his status if we were going to go any further. He said he was healthy, doesnt do drugs, and not on medications. I freaked out and scared to death. I have avoided all kind of sexual acts for so long because I am a hypochondriac. Now even french kissing is unsafe according to  the CDC website that saliva can possibly transmit HIV if it has visible blood in it. I dont have bleeding gum or dental problem. I know you said HIV doesnt transmit through french kissing. But i am scared. Please educate me on this. Do I need testing?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The issue of testing is a matter of personal choice.  I see no reason for it but, I provided the information about testing to you in case you feel the need to "prove" to yourself that you did not get infected.  Sorry if this appeared to be a mixed message.  EWH

[worrysome494]

Dr Hook, sorry to bother you again, but today i notice there was blood in my saliva after i brushed my teeth, but the time when I deep kissed that person I did not brushed for maybe 10 hours. I m now again worry what if I have blood in my mouth due to some kind of gum bleed that I was not aware of at that time, do i still get HIV that way?

[worrysome494]

Thank you Dr. Hook, your answers really did put my mind at ease. I will move on and try to live a less anxious life...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I would move on.  Put this behind you.  EWH

[worrysome494]

Ok thanks Dr Hook I m a healthcare worker myself, therefore, I m extremely concerned about everything...I have done multiple testing such as pcr, ELISA etc in the past just to prove ' I'm not infected' despite being told by doctors including yourself that I don't need testing. I won't do that anymore as it only feeds into my anxiety. Thanks dr Hook, so should I just move on and forget about it?  

[worrysome494]

Dr Hook...thanks for the respond. So you said I am not at risk then suggested I should go get tested. I m scared now. I know I might have French kissed people in the past whom I m not aware of their status but now I m just a nervous wreck about everything even kissing. So when that person told me about his status I m almost fainted. So Dr Hook, in your opinions should I get tested? I will take your words cause I m deadly afraid of waiting for the test results. I have been suffering from anxiety and really hate myself for even having just kissed someone...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  You are not at risk.  Please realize that the CDC, as a governmental agency cannot "afford" to be wrong, even once and, as a result, they tend to be, in the opinion of me and other experts, overly conservative in their statements about HIV transmission risk.  There are no really credible examples of cases in which HIV has been transmitted by kissing.

I also realize that none of this in any way reduces the entirely normal concerns that you voice.  I hope that my comments of reassurance will be helpful to you.  I also realize that you may wish to get tested to validate the statements that I have just made.  If so, in your case, to prove to yourself that you are not infected it may be worthwhile to plan to get tested with the recently available combination p24 antigen/antibody test that is now approved for HIV screening. Most experts agree that the data from this test is totally reliable at 4 weeks after exposure.  In the interim, please try not to worry.  I am confident that you will not be the first person to get HIV from French kissing.  EWH

p.s.  Before you ask, while it is a personal decision, II do not see this as an indication for PEP.  EWH