[Question #11425] Oral Gino Concern

Avatar photo
14 months ago
Dr’s, first thank you for what you do. A great service indeed! 

Unfortunately I had a brief oral experience with another man whom I did not know on 5.25 around midnight. I gave maybe a 30 second oral performance - I did not notice any fluids involved. The next day I took 1G of Azithromycin (shouldn’t have)  I realize oral gonorrhea presents zero symptoms, a few days later my throat however was red and sore, of course I panicked (chalk it up to human nature). On 5.29 around 3pm I went to an urgent care and had an oral swab performed and was prescribed 500mg ceftriaxone injection and 7 day doxy. The results came back negative. My question is: would the previously taken Azithro alter the test results and did I test too soon anyway? Is it reasonable to resume oral sex with my wife? Also, is there any research done to predict the chances of acquiring an oral HPV infection in a similar scenario? Thanks again!
Avatar photo
Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  Thanks for your questions and your confidence in our service.  I'll be glad to comment.

Your risk for acquiring oral gonorrhea is very low- most people do not have gonorrhea and most single oral exposures do not lead to infection.  The azithromycin you took was lower than the dose which is sometimes effective against gonorrhea so there is just no way to know if you had gonorrhea which was cured before you were tested or not, but it is highly unlikely.  In the improbable situation that you had oral gonorrhea, the ceftriaxone and doxycycline you took is likely to have been curative.  You certainly did not test too soon.  

At this time, I would no longer have any concerns about the possibility that you have oral gonorrhea that you could give to your wife.  I would put your concerns behind you and move forward.

There are no reliable data on the risk for HPV from an exposure of the sort you describe but it is unlikely.

I hope that this information is helpful.  Time to move forward.  Please don't worry.  EWH
---
Avatar photo
14 months ago
Thanks for the response. In your opinion, would the Azirhromycin effect the validity of the test result? My understanding is that even if the Azithro killed the virus, the test would have still detected the dying or dead bacteria thus causing a positive or technically in that case, a false positive - what are your thoughts? 
Avatar photo
Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
The problem with having taken the azithromycin is that it makes the accuracy of your test results unpredictable. You are correct that if it had killed gonorrhea which was present, a subsequent test may ( or may not) have detected it, but precisely how often that would occur is unknown.  None of this however changes the substance of my advice which is that it is time to put these concerns behind you and move forward. EWH.---
Avatar photo
14 months ago
Thanks again for the response, Dr. Hook! Ironically, I have a yearly physical tomorrow at 9am. I plan to tell my Dr. what happened.
1.Oral sex midnight 5.25
2. 1 G Azithromycin the following day
3.. Red throat prompted me to get tested on 5.29 - prescribed Ceftriaxone & Doxycycline.
4. Test results came back negative...

Given the uncertainty of the result considering the Azithromycin use... I finished my last Doxycycline tablet this morning, if I get a new swab done tomorrow morning around 9 AM, will that test then be clinically conclusive or does the Doxycycline also interfere with the results? Sorry to be a pest with a petty question considering the probability, I'd like to put this behind me before I potentially expose my wife... Thanks again! 
Avatar photo
Edward W. Hook M.D.
14 months ago
After the medication you have taken, you can be completely confident when your results come back negative as I am confident they will, that you were not infected.  As I already said, you probably were never infected.

Please be confident in your results.

This completes this thread.  EWH
---