from kuwait - precum

[kuwaitman]

Hi DR. H. Hunter Handsfield,…I am a male writing from Kuwait. I had an exposure with shemale and I am not sure if I have to test. It was my first time with shemale as I am heterosexual .
1.she played with her penis for a minute then placed a condom and after few minutes she asked me to do oral but I got another condom and placed in the top of the first condom then I kissed the shfat for 5 second with closed mouth…only my lips touched the condom. What if she had precum in her penis which went to her hands then to the first condom then to the second condom after she affixed the second condom, then when my lips touched her condom the precum went in my lips since it is mucous membrane?
2. She fingered me for 3 second with her finger and I was wearing my underwear. Her finger did not go deep inside that if it went at all since I was wearing my underwear. What if she still had precum in her hands from playing with her penis 10 minutes before?
3. she touched my lips with her finger ail for 1 second. What if she had precum in her nail when she touched and pressed it in my lips for a second?

Do I  need to test for any of the above…if not, why?I am going crazy from anxiety as I am always use safe sex. I am planning to test in the 4 week mark as I cannot cope wit the anxiety. Plz help.

[kuwaitman]

thx Dr.. :)

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As you said, "I cannot cope wit the anxiety." You are proving that this is the case, unfortunately however life s full of uncertainties.  We use average figures and try to place them in context.  Thus, if you want a guarantee that you are not at risk, that cannot be provided.  On the other hand if you want my assurance that this is probably the case, you have it.  EWH

[kuwaitman]

thx Dr. for the answer....it is a clear answer...but one concern only....you said that "the virus does not live long enough outside the body and there is essentially no transmissions which occurs when secretions are transferred indirectly from one  person to another by hands, etc".
is that true even if my lips touched the condom which -probably had some pre *** but not sure if there was precum- which was only for 5 minutes on the condom? does 5 minutes enough to kill the virus and not cause infection when it tocuhed my lips for 3-4 seconds?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You do not need testing.  If the person you had sex with was HIV infected ( and more often than not, the partner is NOT infected) the transmission of HIV is impacted by a number of variables.  these include the site of exposure, whether penetration occurs of not, whether protection is used or not as well as a number of other variables  In your case, you probably do not have a medical reason for testing. On the other hand, from the sound of things you are quite anxious about this exposure and, for that reason should get tested.  Now let's get to your questions.

1.  First of all, HIV is not a very tough virus. It does not live long at all outside the body and, as a result there is essentially no transmissions which occurs when secretions are transferred indirectly from one  person to another by hands, etc.  This is part of the reason that masturbation is safe sex.
2.  Oral is very low risk and when a condom is used it becomes safe sex.  In addition, the potential exchange you mention would involve indirect transfer by her hands to the condom.  Nothing to worry about.
3.  You had underwear on, this reduces the risk even more from the virtually nonexistent risk for the hand to site reasons mentioned above.
4,  See above regarding touching.

Again, while there is no medical reason for you to test, I sense that your anxiety will be well served by a by getting tested.  At four weeks 85-90% of tests that are going to be positive.  When you put that in the context of your very low risk exposures, when your test is negative you can be confident (as I already am) that you did not get HIV from the exposure you describe.  EWH