Got scared from your response to the post of the Tanzanian ladies

[Worried-Well]

Dear Dr. H.

I was reading your responses to assure myself but suddenly I got terrified when I saw your response to the guy who had exposure with 2 Tanzanian sexworkers with a fresh cut. So, I decided to post my question.

Here it is:

I got a Moroccan lady (sex worker) in Bahrain. The encounter was receiving a handjob from her using KY gel as a lubricant. While she is giving me the hand job I was touching her body with my hands. The problem is that I got 1-3 hours before the encounter a cut in my middle finger ( in the surface) by a glass literally and I believe that it was not really hearting and it was superficial. It was exactly after the middle knuckle in the finger in the far side from the nail and it was 1 cm long. It bleeded a little and then stopped. The major issue that I touched her vagina with my hand and my cut finger. I did not penetrate my finger inside her. It was only touching the outside of her vagina and I believe that I touched the outside of her vagina by the surface of my hand which includes the cut. She was not wet and also not totally dry. I felt she was a little watery. ( the cut was not bleeding at the touching time but it was red)

Now:

1) Am I at any risk of STDs ? including HIV??
2) Do I need Testing??
3) Can I practice unprotected sex life with my partner without any fear of passing the infection based on the previous encounter?

I need your expert opinion and I will go by it. And there will be no "but", "if" or symptoms questions.

Thank you very much for your help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

All replies on this forum must be interpreted in context.  The take-home message from the thread you refer to is not that fingering is a risk or that any cut on the fingers increases the risk.  That thread concerned exposure to a sex worker in Tanzania, where HIV rates are extremely high, especially in sex workers, whereas the rates are very low in virtually all dominantly Islamic countries, probably including Moroccan sex workers.  That thread also speculated about an unusually deep and fresh cut.  And as you describe yourself, you didn't even penetrate her vagina with the cut finger.

So relax.  The replies to your questions are 1) there was no risk, 2) you do not need testing, and 3) I never guarantee someone isn't infected, but if these events are the only ones during which you could have acquired STDs or HIV, then your partner is not at risk.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[Worried-Well]

Thank You Sir.