is this a risk?

[medhelp11]

Dr. EWH / HHH,

I know you always indicate that having sore cuticles during fingering is not a risk for hiv transmission but I wanted to ask for clarification in my particular situation. I had a protected sexual intercourse and during foreplay while fingering my partner I felt a little painful sensation on my finger - I looked later and it was a sore cuticle that seemed to have gotten worse during the foreplay possibly due to friction. Maybe I had a really small peeled skin but during fingering because of friction it became worse. I'm not sure if there was any blood but assuming that because of friction I sort of pulled it more and it was fresh, caused right during the foreplay - is there a risk? I know you state that having sores on fingers is not a risk unless it's briskly bleeding but I started worrying thinking that maybe because it was caused right during fingering and was fresh - that maybe there's a risk for hiv transmission in case my partner is hiv positive and her fluid got on the sore. Is there any reason for concern in this situation or it really is nothing and I shouldn't worry about this?

Thank you very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, HIV cannot enter the body through a sore, fresly opened cuticle.  No risk!  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Still not risk, even if the sore on your finger originated during foreplay.   For HIV to enter through the slin there must be an active infection or the infectious material must be injected deep into tissue.  You do not need to worry.  EWH

[medhelp11]

Dr. EWH,

Thank you very much for answering my question! Just to clarify - you said "For HIV to enter through the skin there must be an active infection or the infectious material must be injected deep into tissue." I'm not sure that I understand this because when there's a sore cuticle there's no skin as it's peeled off. Did you just mean that for HIV to enter the body just having a sore, open cuticle even fresh that originated during foreplay is not enough as the infected fluid would need to be somehow injected deep into the tissue for transmission to occur. Do I understand it correctly? So as I understand there's no know transmission during fingering when cuts and sores are present on fingers and the fact that the cuticle is fresh and originated during foreplay does not change anything and I have nothing to worry about, correct? Please confirm if I understood what you said correctly.

Thank you very much once again Dr. EWH.