Hello, doctors. I did unprotected genital rubbing without penetration with a Thai sex worker who I booked online in Germany 43 days ago. Assuming the vaginal fluids were at my penis tip, after which I wore condom and did sex for 40 minutes, am I at risk of HIV? I am scared the condom would push vaginal fluid on my penis. I am circumcised btw. Also, I shaved two days before sex so scared about micro-tears I couldn't see

16-17 days after the risk, I started getting rashes and body aches that would last few days, come and go, and were not simultaneous (even now). My dermatologist diagnosed it as pityriasis rosea. Also, for 1-2 days my body was hot but not over 100F

Do my symptoms sound like ARS?

The symptoms you describe are among the symptoms described as part of the ARS however you have proven that the fever, body aches and rash that occurred 16-17 days after the encounter were not due to HIV.  When symptoms are due to HIV HIV RNA PCR tests are positive and remain that way from then onward.  Your negative PCR proves that your symptoms were not due to HIV.  When at risk persons with symptoms such as yours have been studied, less than 1% are due to HIV.  The remainder are due to influenza, COVID-19, or one of the many other far more common viral illnesses that persons get from time to time.

I hope that this information is helpful to you.  EWH

1. I have read in this forum that it may take 1-2 days after the symptom for the test to turn positive if it is ARS. And some places say it may take 3-4 days. Or is this only true for HIV Ab/Ag and not PCR RNA tests? 

2. Around day 35-40 after the risk, I got backpain which lasted few days, new rash and pain on the side of my neck which lasted for few hours. I know you said it can't be ARS but I just want to know if ARS comes and goes like that even after a month? 

3. Can you tell me how much percent I can trust PCR RNA test 21 days after the risk? Is it conclusive or not? 

4. I actually already booked appointment for another HIV Ab/Ag test which will happen in few days (more than 6 weeks after risk), can I be confident my result won't change? 

Sorry for so many questions, just too scared as I never had these symptoms. I trust your words but the ongoing symptoms just scare me everytime I try to think of something else. 

Straight to your follow-ups:

1. I have read in this forum that it may take 1-2 days after the symptom for the test to turn positive if it is ARS. And some places say it may take 3-4 days. Or is this only true for HIV Ab/Ag and not PCR RNA tests? 

I think you are misinterpreting what you've read and perhaps what you've seen on the internet.  The FACT is that the symptoms or the ARS are due to the interaction of antibodies to HIV and the virus.  As a result, when symptoms are present tests for HIV, including the PCR test, as well as the HIV antigen/antibody tests are always positive at the time symptoms are present

2. Around day 35-40 after the risk, I got backpain which lasted few days, new rash and pain on the side of my neck which lasted for few hours. I know you said it can't be ARS but I just want to know if ARS comes and goes like that even after a month? 

no, your back pain is due to something other than HIV

3. Can you tell me how much percent I can trust PCR RNA test 21 days after the risk? Is it conclusive or not? 

Presuming your tests were done in a licensed lab, the result are reliable.

4. I actually already booked appointment for another HIV Ab/Ag test which will happen in few days (more than 6 weeks after risk), can I be confident my result won't change?

Your follow-up test will be, once again, negative.  Be confident that you do not have HIV.

Please don't worry.  EWH

1. In my original post, I said my symptoms started after 16-17 days but now remembering properly, they started after 18-19 days. Also while I did get rash almost everday after that. But my muscle aches started way later (around 25 days) and were only present for few days. So I just wanted to ask, my HIV test at 46 days is conclusive, right? 

2. Currently I only got very few rashes (mostly others healed). And today I think I got some red spots in tongue but I am not sure if they are normal or not, and I feel a little pain way inside the upper part of my mouth if I touch it with my tongue. But maybe this is due to drinking too much  chilled soft drinks. Do you think I should test for other STDs too? (this was my first and only encounter) 

Thank you for your help

1.  The timing of your symptoms is irrelevant. Your test results have repeatedly proven that you did not acquire HIV. Something else caused the symptoms you experienced.

2.  I think you were concerns over the encounter you described have heightened your awareness of what are probably normal findings. Certainly nothing you described in terms of either of the encounter or your symptoms suggest any STI.

As you know, we provide up to three responses to clients questions. This is my third reply and for that reason this thread will be closed now. Take care and please don’t worry.EWH