[Question #11220] HIV Exposure - Anxiety

16 months ago

Hello doctors, thank you for providing this valuable service. I recently had an encounter with a stripper where the following occurred: protected intercourse, unprotected oral (given and received, including given anallingus). Immediately the next morning I developed chills, fatigue, and then fever and a cough. I had diarrhea twice within a few days after. The malaise and specifically cough lingered for about 2 weeks.

I tested at day 5 for chlamydia, ghonorreah, and trich (urine and oral swabs included). All negative.

I have great anxiety about hiv because of my exposure and symptoms. Am I at risk and is testing even necessary in this scenario? Could I continue unprotected sex with my wife?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

16 months ago

Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment. I happened to be on the site when your question arrive so you are getting a response more quickly than is typical and more quickly than any follow-ups may occur.

This was a low risk exposure. Most commercial sex workers/strippers do not have STIs and even when they do, even most unprotected exposures do not lead to infection. Your 5 day tests prove that you did not acquire the most common STIs and even if you had, diarrhea would be unusual to be caused by them. Your diarrhea could have, conceivably been related to analingus but in that that is resolved, I would not worry about it.

I am confident that your cough is unrelated to the sexual encounter you describe. I would have no concerns that you might have gotten something from the exposure that you describe that you could give your wife. My guess is that your symptoms were largely coincidental bad luck. EWH

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