[Question #11473] Saliva contact / STI risk

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14 months ago
I recently had an encounter at a massage parlor where the attendant gave me prolonged fellatio with a condom. She was very vigorous including her gagging several times causing her to release a large volume of saliva and spit to the point that I could feel it pool around my scrotum and anus. Is there any risk of STIs from the saliva that may have contacted my anus and/or scrotum?  Thank you!
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
14 months ago
Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your confidence in our services.

Exposure to saliva is low risk for all STIs. Saliva is toxic to all STI viruses and bacteria; for example, there has never been a proved case of HIV transmission oral to genital (by fellatio or cunnilingus), by oral-anal contact, or by kissing. Gonorrhea can be transmitted, however -- although rare for any single exposure. There are no data about the details of the exposure you describe, i.e. with possible exposure of your anal area. However, without massaging fluids into tissues -- e.g. during penile thrusting -- the risk is minimal. Exposure of any body fluids to intact skin (e.g. scrotum) is risk free for all STIs. Finally, oral STIs are far less common than genital or. anal -- and as a result female sex workers, masseuses, etc are unlikely to be infected.

Accordingly, I would not advise testing for anything. That said, of course you are free to be tested if negative lab results would help convince you not to be worried. In that case, you could request rectal swab testing for gonorrhea, and even consider a blood test for HIV and syphilis after a few weeks. I'm truly not recommending it, and would not do it myself if somehow I were in your situation. But it's your call. In the meantime, if you have a regular sex partner, you should be comfortable continuing your usual sexual practices without significant risk.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD
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