Aa
Possible HIV exposure
Hi,
About 6 weeks ago I had unprotected oral sex and protected (condom) sex with a sex worker. While I understand this is a low chance of most STDs, my concerns are because about 20 minutes before the encounter I shaved some of my genital region and knicked myself at the top of my penis where pubic hair meets the base. It was a very small cut and stopped bleeding in less than a minute. I am very worried that while it stopped bleeding, the condom did not cover the small cut when I had sex. During the sex there was some rubbing in the area of the cut, and therefore contact with her vagina/fluids. To add to my concerns I have just got a small genital wart (about 2-3 weeks after the encounter) in almost exactly the same spot where I knicked myself shaving. The wart was diagnosed by a doctor and it was not there before. I have a few questions regarding this situation:
1) Does this (having a recent shaving cut) place me at increased risk of contacting HIV from the sex worker? If so, what are the chances?
2) What are the chances that a sex worker in the UK (I'm from Sheffield) would have HIV in the first place (she was caucasan around 30 if it helps)?
3) As I understand, there is a theoretical risk of HIV through unprotected oral, but this risk is miniscule?
4) Is the HPV outbreak because of the cut while shaving, or would I have gotten it anyway?
5)Could HIV be present with the HPV so I could theoretically get both?
6) Should I get tested? If so, how long should I wait? It's been around 6 weeks since the encounter.
I should also mention I have just gotten a cold, its been 4-6 weeks since the encounter and I have a sore throat and a bit of a blocked nose (no temperature or lymph node swelling as far as I can tell). I'm not jumping to conclusions and thinking its ARS, I think its just a cold and I'm almost over it after 5 days. What are your thoughts? Am I being paranoid?
Thanks for your help.
About 6 weeks ago I had unprotected oral sex and protected (condom) sex with a sex worker. While I understand this is a low chance of most STDs, my concerns are because about 20 minutes before the encounter I shaved some of my genital region and knicked myself at the top of my penis where pubic hair meets the base. It was a very small cut and stopped bleeding in less than a minute. I am very worried that while it stopped bleeding, the condom did not cover the small cut when I had sex. During the sex there was some rubbing in the area of the cut, and therefore contact with her vagina/fluids. To add to my concerns I have just got a small genital wart (about 2-3 weeks after the encounter) in almost exactly the same spot where I knicked myself shaving. The wart was diagnosed by a doctor and it was not there before. I have a few questions regarding this situation:
1) Does this (having a recent shaving cut) place me at increased risk of contacting HIV from the sex worker? If so, what are the chances?
2) What are the chances that a sex worker in the UK (I'm from Sheffield) would have HIV in the first place (she was caucasan around 30 if it helps)?
3) As I understand, there is a theoretical risk of HIV through unprotected oral, but this risk is miniscule?
4) Is the HPV outbreak because of the cut while shaving, or would I have gotten it anyway?
5)Could HIV be present with the HPV so I could theoretically get both?
6) Should I get tested? If so, how long should I wait? It's been around 6 weeks since the encounter.
I should also mention I have just gotten a cold, its been 4-6 weeks since the encounter and I have a sore throat and a bit of a blocked nose (no temperature or lymph node swelling as far as I can tell). I'm not jumping to conclusions and thinking its ARS, I think its just a cold and I'm almost over it after 5 days. What are your thoughts? Am I being paranoid?
Thanks for your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. I see that you have asked the same question of Teak on the HIV Prevention Community site. I agree with what he has said. the exposure you describe is virtually no risk and not a reason for concern. Concerns are cuts and scrapes are not justified as such wounds do not get the secretions, even if they were infected (which is very unlikely) deep into wounds. Superficial contamination just is not a meaningful cause of HIV transmission.
In answer to your specific questions:
1. No, se my comment above.
2. Low. Most sex workers do not have HIV, particularly if they do not use IV drugs. The prevalence of infection in CSWs varies from place to place but on average, the likelihood that she was infected is less than 1 in 100.
3. Correct. The quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex. Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex.
4. I would anticipate that the cut allowed introduction of the HPV, increasing your likelihood of infection. It might have happened without the cut but clearly scrapes increase the risk of infection.
5. Anything could happen in theory but the likelihood is close to zero. This is not something to worry about.
6. There really is no medical reason for testing related to this exposure however if it will give you peace of mind, then you should go on and get tested. After 6 weeks (now) a test would detect over 95% of infections acquired 6 weeks earlier and at 8 weeks well over 99% of infections will be detectable, Either way, whether you get tested now or later, I predict the result will be negative and when it is, I URGE you to accept this as verification that you did not get infected.
Forget about ARS, you have a cold. This is later than ARS would occur and ARS is very, very rare while colds are very common. Take care. EWH
In answer to your specific questions:
1. No, se my comment above.
2. Low. Most sex workers do not have HIV, particularly if they do not use IV drugs. The prevalence of infection in CSWs varies from place to place but on average, the likelihood that she was infected is less than 1 in 100.
3. Correct. The quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex. Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex.
4. I would anticipate that the cut allowed introduction of the HPV, increasing your likelihood of infection. It might have happened without the cut but clearly scrapes increase the risk of infection.
5. Anything could happen in theory but the likelihood is close to zero. This is not something to worry about.
6. There really is no medical reason for testing related to this exposure however if it will give you peace of mind, then you should go on and get tested. After 6 weeks (now) a test would detect over 95% of infections acquired 6 weeks earlier and at 8 weeks well over 99% of infections will be detectable, Either way, whether you get tested now or later, I predict the result will be negative and when it is, I URGE you to accept this as verification that you did not get infected.
Forget about ARS, you have a cold. This is later than ARS would occur and ARS is very, very rare while colds are very common. Take care. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
While having gential HSV has been associated with increased risk of getting HIV if exposed, with yoru current test resutls and the details you ahve provided, it remains almost certain that you did not get HIV from the expsoure you described. EWH
Thankyou for your response that is most helpful and confirms/puts to rest most of my anxieties. However I did forget to mention that I also have HSV-2, and while I did not have an outbreak at the time, I did get an outbreak a week after the incident, probably due to worrying and guilt. Does this change anything with respect to your answers above?
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