Aa
possible HIV exposure
Hi,
I recently had sex with a girl from Kenya and strictly used a condom during penetrative sex.( sex worker in Hong Kong) However, at one point I inserted my finger into her vagina for around 5-10 seconds. I noticed afterwards I had a very tiny skin tear at the side of my finger nail? I therefore wondered if you could contract HIV in this way and if I should get tested? if so its been 3 weeks since it occured - is there a test I can take now?
many thanks
I recently had sex with a girl from Kenya and strictly used a condom during penetrative sex.( sex worker in Hong Kong) However, at one point I inserted my finger into her vagina for around 5-10 seconds. I noticed afterwards I had a very tiny skin tear at the side of my finger nail? I therefore wondered if you could contract HIV in this way and if I should get tested? if so its been 3 weeks since it occured - is there a test I can take now?
many thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Greetings and welcome to the forum. I'm glad to help.
HIV is not common in Hong Kong and it is unlikely your sex worker partner had HIV. Even more important, you had safe sex: condoms work and sexual exposures other than penile insertion carry no HIV risk. That includes kissing and fingering, regardless of cuts and nicks on the fingers.
For thsoe reasons, you are not at risk for HIV and do not need testing. Of course you are free to be tested anyway, if my reassurance isn't sufficient and you would gain additional confidence from a negative HIV test result. No HIV test is reliable only 3 weeks after exposure, but in another week you could have a duo test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen), for which a negative result is 100% reliable any time 4 or more weeks after the last exposure. Or have an antibody-only test at 6-8 weeks. (Contrary to what is often recommended, it is virtually never necessary to wait 3 months for reliable HIV antibody test results.)
Bottom line: No worries here, and if I were in your situation, I would see no need for testing (and would continue unprotected sex with my wife). If you get tested, feel free to return with a comment to let me know the result.
Regards-- HHH, MD
HIV is not common in Hong Kong and it is unlikely your sex worker partner had HIV. Even more important, you had safe sex: condoms work and sexual exposures other than penile insertion carry no HIV risk. That includes kissing and fingering, regardless of cuts and nicks on the fingers.
For thsoe reasons, you are not at risk for HIV and do not need testing. Of course you are free to be tested anyway, if my reassurance isn't sufficient and you would gain additional confidence from a negative HIV test result. No HIV test is reliable only 3 weeks after exposure, but in another week you could have a duo test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen), for which a negative result is 100% reliable any time 4 or more weeks after the last exposure. Or have an antibody-only test at 6-8 weeks. (Contrary to what is often recommended, it is virtually never necessary to wait 3 months for reliable HIV antibody test results.)
Bottom line: No worries here, and if I were in your situation, I would see no need for testing (and would continue unprotected sex with my wife). If you get tested, feel free to return with a comment to let me know the result.
Regards-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're welcome.
Thanks very much for your reassurances.
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