oral exposure

[eddie255]

on januar 19 i had protected oral with a sex worker i no this is safe but i am affraid she may have scratched my penis with her tooth i did not notice any bleed when i checked 2 hours later so it could not have been very significant.that same morning before the incident i had a renal scan where they injected a radioactive dye in me could this have effected my immune system makeing it easyer for me to aquire hiv?i had a 5 week negative test would u have recomended one in the firstplace?i am scheduled to take anoter at 12 weeks would u recomend this?

thnks in advance

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, I would not worry at all.  I hope you will not either.  eWH

[eddie255]

so if u where me would u worry about this at all

[manmadhan]

Dear Eddie,

I recently attended a workshop on HIV (in Singapore). According to them, it takes at least one litre of saliva to infect another person with HIV. Oral sex will never involve that amount of sailva. so relax and carry on.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to our Forum.  I see that Lizzie Lou has already responded to you summarizing my feelings about your risk.  I will just add a few comments.

Before we discuss oral sex, let me comment on the radiation exposure you experienced with your renal scan.   This will not affect your immune system, antibody production had you been infected, or your risk of infection at all.  The amount of radiation involved with most such tests is less than the radiation you are exposed to in flying in an airplane for an hour or so.  This is nothing to worry about.

Now for oral sex.  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.  This figure also includes situations in which your partner may have scratched your penis during your exposure.  

As far as testing is concerned, the test you already have would detect nearly 95% of infections which were acquired 5 weeks earlier.  When this degree of accuracy is compared with the virtual non-existent risk for HIV form the exposure you describe, you can have complete confidence that you did not get HIV.  I see no need for further testing.

I hope this comment is helpful.  Take care.  EWH