[Question #12104] Hiv biting risk exposure

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10 months ago
Hi Dr,

Hope you are doing well . 

I am a gay male recently met someone and we have been meeting often , however have not had anal anal or oral sex . We kissed and recently he kissed my body and bit my butt cheek , it feels a bit painful but I could not see any visible blood . Am I at risk of HIV? I’m worried as I read that biting is a risk . I do not know the perosns status .

Please help . Thanks 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
Theoretically a bite that breaks the skin by a person with untreated HIV could lead to infection however, the risk is very, very low if there is any risk at all.  Further apparently you do not know if your partner has untreated HIV (statistically it is unlikely) and if the skin was not broken this was a virtually no risk event.

Going forward, I would suggest that you ask this person, as well as future partners, is they have HIV.  Most people will respond honestly.  EWH
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10 months ago
My partner said he does not have hiv and was tested last year .
Have you seen any cases where HiV happened from a bite during sexual encounter ? Should I worry ? Would u recommend PEP?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
No, I have never seen nor heard of such a case.  Further, I would believe your partner.  If you were in my clinic and requested PEP I would decline to prescribe it for you.  EWH---
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10 months ago
Hi Dr,

Thanks for your prompt replies. Below are a few questions :

1. I read online that many people take PEP after getting a human bite as there is a risk.
2. If I never indulge in anal or oral sex or injection drug , would I be at a risk for HIv. I have not had anal or oral sex in last 5 years .
3. Do you suggest I should get tested ? How would we know if someone ever acquired HIV from a bite ?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
10 months ago
We provide up to 3 responses to each client's questions.  This will be my final response and then the thread will be closed.  you should not need to return to the Forum after this final response:

1. I read online that many people take PEP after getting a human bite as there is a risk.
We spend much of our time on this Forum correcting misinformation found on the internet.  What you read there dose not change my assessment including when I said "No, I have never seen nor heard of such a case.  Further, I would believe your partner.  If you were in my clinic and requested PEP I would decline to prescribe it for you."

2. If I never indulge in anal or oral sex or injection drug , would I be at a risk for HIv. I have not had anal or oral sex in last 5 years .
No, you would not be at risk for HIV.

3. Do you suggest I should get tested ? How would we know if someone ever acquired HIV from a bite ?
I see no need for testing.  If you were really concerned, the best way to get an answer would be to ask your partner to test since it has been a year since he was last tested.  If you choose to test, routine testing with a 4th generation, combination HIV antigen/antibody test would not be conclusive until 6 weeks following your encounter of concern.  At 4 weeks a test would be more than 98% conclusive.

This completes this thread.  EWH
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