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Scared That I May Have Contracted HIV
Greetings and thanks for taking the time to help with this,
A week and a half ago I had unprotected sex with a prostitute. She was obviously a drug addict, though I don't know enough about the world of illicit drug use to guess which one(s) she was using. She also had some sores on her body; not a ton, but several. Importantly, I forgot to look for needle marks, because I really wasn't thinking about safety at the time. She did have a relatively string odor coming from her vagina, which makes me think that she probably has unprotected sex with at least some regularity. (I've been told that uncleaned ejaculate gives a woman's vagina that distinct smell). After having sex, I asked her if she had been tested for STD's, including HIV, and she said that she had, with negative results. She also said that this was her first time taking money for sex, but that's one of the less believable things I've heard in some time.
Anyway, six days after the encounter, I got sick with what I assumed was pneumonia. My lungs hurt upon inspiration and I was coughing up thick brown mucus. (I had pneumponia nine months ago and had to take antibiotics to treat it). The inspiratory pain and mucus have gone away, though, leaving me with a cough, a runny nose and painful sinus pressure. I've also had borderline chills and general soreness throughout my body, though not very intense.
Might I have contracted HIV? These symptoms and their timing seem to line up with the symtoms and timing of early HIV. I'm worried. I also don't want to pass it on to future partners, assuming that I do have it.
What are the chances that I'm HIV positive?
Thanks in advance,
Worrried in Washington
A week and a half ago I had unprotected sex with a prostitute. She was obviously a drug addict, though I don't know enough about the world of illicit drug use to guess which one(s) she was using. She also had some sores on her body; not a ton, but several. Importantly, I forgot to look for needle marks, because I really wasn't thinking about safety at the time. She did have a relatively string odor coming from her vagina, which makes me think that she probably has unprotected sex with at least some regularity. (I've been told that uncleaned ejaculate gives a woman's vagina that distinct smell). After having sex, I asked her if she had been tested for STD's, including HIV, and she said that she had, with negative results. She also said that this was her first time taking money for sex, but that's one of the less believable things I've heard in some time.
Anyway, six days after the encounter, I got sick with what I assumed was pneumonia. My lungs hurt upon inspiration and I was coughing up thick brown mucus. (I had pneumponia nine months ago and had to take antibiotics to treat it). The inspiratory pain and mucus have gone away, though, leaving me with a cough, a runny nose and painful sinus pressure. I've also had borderline chills and general soreness throughout my body, though not very intense.
Might I have contracted HIV? These symptoms and their timing seem to line up with the symtoms and timing of early HIV. I'm worried. I also don't want to pass it on to future partners, assuming that I do have it.
What are the chances that I'm HIV positive?
Thanks in advance,
Worrried in Washington
It seems you've found the statistics you were looking for, normally. This topic is now closed.
***CLOSED TOPIC - NO NEW POSTS***
***CLOSED TOPIC - NO NEW POSTS***
For anyone who may also be curious:
Western Europe and North America
There is a lack of recent data available on HIV infections among sex workers in Western Europe, although Western Europe is one of the few parts of the world which includes countries where commercial sex is either legal or controlled (Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Latvia, Hungary, Turkey, and the Netherlands). Overall, the HIV prevalence among sex workers is less than 5%.37 Levels of HIV infection seem to be low (less than 1%) amongst sex workers who do not inject drugs. However, for those who do inject drugs the risk is often significantly higher. According to a study carried out in three cities in the Netherlands, the HIV prevalence among female sex workers who injected drugs was 13.8%, while it was 1.5% amongst other female sex workers.38
In many areas, it also seems that male and transgender sex workers are more vulnerable to HIV than female sex workers. For example, male sex workers in Spain were found to have an overall HIV prevalence of 12% in a study conducted in 19 Spanish cities compared to 1% for female sex workers during the same time period.39 40 A study conducted in three cities in the Netherlands found that 18.8% of transgender sex workers surveyed were HIV positive, compared to 5.7% of sex workers in general.41
In the United States, the government takes a strong stance against sex work, as demonstrated by its refusal to grant overseas aid to any HIV/AIDS projects that do not ‘explicitly oppose’ the practice. Domestically, sex work is illegal in the U.S. (with the exception of a few counties in the state of Nevada), and very little information is gathered about workers and their clients. As with Western Europe, many of the HIV cases that do occur amongst sex workers in the region are amongst sex workers who also inject drugs.42
Taken from www.avert.org
Western Europe and North America
There is a lack of recent data available on HIV infections among sex workers in Western Europe, although Western Europe is one of the few parts of the world which includes countries where commercial sex is either legal or controlled (Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Latvia, Hungary, Turkey, and the Netherlands). Overall, the HIV prevalence among sex workers is less than 5%.37 Levels of HIV infection seem to be low (less than 1%) amongst sex workers who do not inject drugs. However, for those who do inject drugs the risk is often significantly higher. According to a study carried out in three cities in the Netherlands, the HIV prevalence among female sex workers who injected drugs was 13.8%, while it was 1.5% amongst other female sex workers.38
In many areas, it also seems that male and transgender sex workers are more vulnerable to HIV than female sex workers. For example, male sex workers in Spain were found to have an overall HIV prevalence of 12% in a study conducted in 19 Spanish cities compared to 1% for female sex workers during the same time period.39 40 A study conducted in three cities in the Netherlands found that 18.8% of transgender sex workers surveyed were HIV positive, compared to 5.7% of sex workers in general.41
In the United States, the government takes a strong stance against sex work, as demonstrated by its refusal to grant overseas aid to any HIV/AIDS projects that do not ‘explicitly oppose’ the practice. Domestically, sex work is illegal in the U.S. (with the exception of a few counties in the state of Nevada), and very little information is gathered about workers and their clients. As with Western Europe, many of the HIV cases that do occur amongst sex workers in the region are amongst sex workers who also inject drugs.42
Taken from www.avert.org
So, the test is a given. Point made.
Again, can anyone here educate me on the liklihood of this disease being passed through a potential vector via one exposure. We had sex for about 5 minutes. I did ejaculate. What I don't know is the statistical probability that a prostitute in the United States -- Washington state, specifically -- will have HIV. I also don't know the statistical probability of a male contracting HIV through having vaginal sex with a prostitute one time, assuming that she is HIV-positive.
Thanks for any links to authoritative documentation on the topic and/or offical facts and fugures.
Worried in Washington
Again, can anyone here educate me on the liklihood of this disease being passed through a potential vector via one exposure. We had sex for about 5 minutes. I did ejaculate. What I don't know is the statistical probability that a prostitute in the United States -- Washington state, specifically -- will have HIV. I also don't know the statistical probability of a male contracting HIV through having vaginal sex with a prostitute one time, assuming that she is HIV-positive.
Thanks for any links to authoritative documentation on the topic and/or offical facts and fugures.
Worried in Washington
HIV isn't a guessing game. You test 3 months post exposure and collect your onclusive test result.
What is the liklihood that infection can occur after just one encounter? I'm seeing all kinds of conflicting information on the net, including some folks who say that HIV isn't actually transmitted by sex.
I'm totally lost here.
I'm totally lost here.
you can get all the stats and percentages you want. it still wont change the fact that you had unprotected sex with someone and didnt know their status. transmission CAN occur on the first time.
stats dont tell one's status...testing does that for you !
stats dont tell one's status...testing does that for you !
Taken from some random website that I just Googled:
"The U.S. Department of Health consistently reports that only 3-5% of the sexually transmitted disease in this country is related to prostitution (compared with 30-35% among teenagers). There is no statistical indication in the U.S. that prostitutes are vectors of HIV. Although a small percentage of prostitutes may be HIV positive, William Darrow, CDC AIDS epidemiology official, cites no proven cases of HIV transmission from prostitutes to clients.(8)"
Sounds a little optimistic to me.
"The U.S. Department of Health consistently reports that only 3-5% of the sexually transmitted disease in this country is related to prostitution (compared with 30-35% among teenagers). There is no statistical indication in the U.S. that prostitutes are vectors of HIV. Although a small percentage of prostitutes may be HIV positive, William Darrow, CDC AIDS epidemiology official, cites no proven cases of HIV transmission from prostitutes to clients.(8)"
Sounds a little optimistic to me.
Thanks for the tip, LIZZIE LOU.
Does anybody have non-hearsay stats on this sort of thing? Have any official government or World Health Organization studies been done on the percentage of prostitutes in the U.S. who have HIV? And what are the odds that a guy would get it from having sex one time? I truly know very little about this disease, outside of common knowledge.
Also, if I do have HIV, how long do I have to live, statistically speaking? I'm 33 and in good health. Just kind of curious about whether or not I should move to Maui and give up some long-term goals.
Does anybody have non-hearsay stats on this sort of thing? Have any official government or World Health Organization studies been done on the percentage of prostitutes in the U.S. who have HIV? And what are the odds that a guy would get it from having sex one time? I truly know very little about this disease, outside of common knowledge.
Also, if I do have HIV, how long do I have to live, statistically speaking? I'm 33 and in good health. Just kind of curious about whether or not I should move to Maui and give up some long-term goals.
so descriptive and yet you STILL chose to have unprotected sex with her?
you can test 6-8 weeks for a good indication of your status...follow up at 3 months for a conclusive result.
(test for all stds as well)
you can test 6-8 weeks for a good indication of your status...follow up at 3 months for a conclusive result.
(test for all stds as well)
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