[Question #11962] Quick follow up

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11 months ago
Thank you so much for your helpful advice yesterday, just a quick follow up question.

If I am certain that my partner has had no other exposures, would you still recommend testing based off of the one oral sex without ejaculation post azithromycin incident?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
11 months ago
Welcome back to the Forum.  On this occasion, I happened to be assigned your current follow-up question.  In preparing to respond I reviewed your earlier interaction with Dr. Handsfield and agree with all that he said.  

Thanks for the additional information on your partner.  I do not know how long your current relationship has gone on/  Infections can persist without symptoms. My advice is that to be entirely safe the best course would still be to suggest your partner be tested- better safe than sorry.  I anticipate that his test will be negative but better to be safe than sorry.  

I hope that this perspective is helpful.  EWH
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11 months ago
Our relationship has been going on for 20 years- I get tested ever year at my gyn appointment, always negative. Given this - do you still feel he should he be tested after the one oral sex exposure without ejaculation and azithromycin ingestion
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11 months ago
I guess my real concern is did I put him at risk with my indiscretion even if I took azithromycin shortly after exposure. 

 Also Dr. Handsfiekd stated gonorrhea is quit symptomatic- I have read chlamydia is often asymptomatic in up to 50% of men. Is that shortly after infection or long term- can men stay asymptomatic for over 5 months or would they clear the infection or start to show symptoms. 

If blood work was done recently, would one have an elevated white blood count if they had gonorrhea or chlamydia? 

I am sorry for the anxiety driven questions - I would like to move past this issue, but also realize I need to make sure my partner is safe 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
11 months ago
Thanks for the additional details.  Given the circumstances I think it’s probably reasonable to wait to recommend testing for him until you’ve seen your GYN.  This however makes it imperative that you be sure your GYN tests you.  Otherwise I worry that anxiety over the unlikely circumstance that exposed him will continue to both you.

You are correct that both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be asymptomatic.  More so for chlamydia than gonorrhea..  while both infections can be asymptomatic, over a period of months many asymptomatic infections would clear without antibiotics as the body fights off the infection.

Blood tests would be irrelevant to whether or not a person has most STIs.

Reminder.  You have 1 follow-up remaining.  After that there should be no more questions.  EWH
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11 months ago
Thank you, 

Yes I will get tested by my gyn- based off of my situation and the information I have provided, do you also agree that my tests will be negative assuming no other exposures? I would just like to mentally prepare myself 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
11 months ago
Correct, I anticipate that your tests will be negative

This completes this thread.  Take care.  EWH
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