Kissing a Prostitute in Africa - Possible ARS

[Ghana_Expat]

I posted a couple of weeks ago saying that I kissed a prostitute here in Africa for about 10 seconds and also had my penis touched for about 1 minute and was worried about a potential risk as I had a sore on my mouth. I also flossed that night and have a tendency to chew on the inside of my mouth when bored/thinking so cuts may have been possible. It was a drunk, stupid thing to do and the following day I was in distress. Following consultation with my Doctor, I began PEP 55hrs after the event – which I am still on.

Approximately 30hrs after the event, I had pains on both upper inner thighs. 2 - 3 days after the event, I developed a spotted non itchy rash with continuing inner thigh pain. I had a couple of night sweats during this period and a week after the event, I developed a rash/thrush on my scrotum/shaft of penis. 10 days after the event I had very sore glands on my neck which lasted about 30hrs. I had no appetite for a week during this period and had other minor muscle aches in various parts of my body including swelling in my groin for a couple of days. I don’t believe that I had any fever and have not had a sore throat. It’s now 17 days after the event and I feel OK and am still on the PEP. The rash is still on my inner thigh but the rash on my penis disappeared after 3 days but returned 3 days later.

I had a negative Elisa after 16 days but I know that is no real accurate indication. I am awaiting the results of a PCR test and am convinced it will show up the virus. Normally a kiss wouldn’t bother me in the least but the sore on my mouth, the fact it was with a prostitute here in Africa and more worryingly the symptoms, have me convinced. I honestly just don’t know what to do.

[Ghana_Expat]

Thanks for your comments.

I will freely admit that I am not thinking properly at the moment and am confused as a result of symptoms and conflicting info.

I will read through your posts again later on this evening in an effort to try and make sense of all of this.

[interestedparty71]

At the end of the day it comes down to your own judgement, and nothing I or anyone else on this forum will change your mind. But ask yourself this-you have just trawled the internet, which is the greatest information resource on earth. In doing so you have found one case (and you dont say how that case was verified as accurate) which was in 1997. How many millions of people kiss every day? Yet only one case has been recorded, if that.

Please get some perspective on this issue.

[Ghana_Expat]

I've trawled the net from top to bottom for days on end on this issue and have only come across one case, in 1997 where both parties apparently had severe gum disease.

You say one thing about this issue whilst so many other sites and posters say there is a risk. This is one of the reasons why I'm worried.

In a state of panic and fear, I more or less demanded PEP from my Doctor. You are probably right about the side effects but in my state of mind I had to do anything that I could.

[interestedparty71]

PEP causes some serious side effects and should only be used when you have been exposed to HIV transmission via a risk exposure with someone that is known to have HIV. You have not.

The CDC is an overly conservative website whcih will list any risk and will not grade that risk. However the expert doctors on this board have never seen a case of HIV transmission via oral sex, and they have never seen one via kissing. Thats in the medical literature or via their patients.

Nobody on this forum, or the doctors forum has ever said they have had a positive test result as a result of any oral activity, despite their being many many posts on the subject each day. Its because it doesnt happen.

[Ghana_Expat]

I appreciate your time and comments interestedparty but there is conflicting info regarding open mouth kissing which only adds to my concern. CDC and others say there is a risk.

I'm just all over the place at the minute and taking PEP twice daily isn't helping.  

I'd like to stop worrying but the symptoms and conflicting info are just making life hell.

If I was back home and kissed any lady for any length of time, I probably wouldn't even think twice about it.  

[interestedparty71]

It isnt a risk. Hiv is transmitted in the following three ways

1.Penetrative sex
2.From mother to baby
3.IV drug use.

HIV is not passed on by mutual touching, masterbation, oral sex or kissing. You will not be the first recorded case of HIV transmission via kissing, so please stop worrying about it.

[Ghana_Expat]

Thank you for your response interestedparty.

What I'm worried about is a sore/cut and being infected through this. If the lady is positive (chances are she could be), then she may have a high viral load as most people here in Africa are not treated.

I would not be so worried if it wasn't for the symptoms starting so soon after the event (symptoms which I never have) and that fact I had a sore and maybe some cuts in my mouth - surely this is a risk?

[interestedparty71]

Any symptoms you are having are irrelevant. You can not catch HIV from kissing or touching. On the basis of the exposure you describe testing was a waste of time, as was payment for PEP. In fact it is a scandal that a medical profesional was willing to give you either PEP or a test based on this exposure.