[Question #11049] Oral STD’s

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17 months ago
Hi Doc,
Roughly 1 week ago I(male) performed unprotected oral sex on a sex worker for about 5-10 minutes. She did not come and there were no noticeable red flags when it comes to sores, marks, etc. Oral sex(cunninglingus) was the only thing we did.  I am now terrified that I may have contracted an STI in my mouth, and I have a test in 2 weeks for everything I can. My question is, what is the likelihood I caught anything during this encounter. I am particular nervous about HPV and syphilis but I wanted to know across the board what is the likelihood I have something. I do get some bleeding when I floss but I don’t know if that’s indicative of increased risk. I had not flossed that day and only focused on the clitoris with my tongue. I did not lick inside the vulva or anything like that. Please help!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
17 months ago
Welcome to our forum. Thank you for your questions. I’ll be glad to comment

Cunnilingus is a very low risk sexual activity. If your partner happened to be infected and most commercial sex workers do not have STIs, your risk for infection is very very low. FYI, if your level of anxiety is high, you could be conclusively tested at this time for the most common STI‘s, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, using a throat swab. HIV and syphilis are far, far less likely to occur have been acquired through the encounter you describe but you cannot test expecting conclusive results until six or more weeks after the encounter.  .

As for HPV, concern about HPV is probably not affect an effective use of your time. I’m presuming that you have been sexually active with other partners in the past. If that is the case, and if you have not received the HPV vaccine, you almost certainly already have previously acquired HPV.  On the other hand, if you have been vaccinated with the HPV vaccine, then you are highly protected against possible STI. 

Personally, I would not be concerned at all about having acquired any STI from the encounter you describe. I hope the information I have provided is useful. EWH
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17 months ago
Thank you, this was helpful. I have been with the same girl for 9 years with no sexual partners before her. She has has Pap smears that did not indicate hpv and is vaccinated with all 3 shots. With my almost certainly not having hpv already. What is the likelihood that I would acquire oral hpv from this one encounter? I occasionally bite dead skin cells off of the sides of my cheek when I’m nervous and may have unknowingly done this before the encounter. My main concern is 1. Having acquired HPV and
2. Will unknowingly pass it to my partner. 

We are considering having kids in the next year or 2 and would hate to ruin all of this over a drunken absolute mistake that is keeping me up at night 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
17 months ago
The chance that you acquired oral HPV is very low- oral HPV infections are not acquired as easily as genital infections and most single exposures do no lead to acquistion of infection.  Further, even if you had oral infection (which I repeat, is quite unlikely) you are unlikely to transmit it to her-your girlfriend is protected from HPV as a result of being vaccinated.  I would not be worried.

Finally, even if HPV were present, that would have NO impact whatsoever on your plans to have children or your children's health.

I think you are worrying needlessly.  EWH


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