Dear Dr. During a daft drunken weekend in Bangkok, I received 2 unprotected BJ from different CSWs and rubbed one of their vaginas lightly externally. I made sure I did not touch my penis or rub my eye with this hand until I washed it. On another occasion I open mouth kissed a CSW briefly for a few seconds. There was no other sexual activity besides this. 4 days after, I felt a painful lymph node under my left arm, the next day I developed a mild fever and muscle weakness in my legs. I'm getting quite stressed about the possibility of having been infected by HIV. Am I overreacting to this? Additionally my eyes are stinging and watery, could I have picked up an infection from the towel my face was resting on during the massage I had? It smelt a little musty.

Welcome back to the Forum.  The activities you describe did not put you at risk for HIV. As I said to you 4 months ago- "... there are no proven cases of HIV acquired from receipt of oral sex.  Rubbing her vagina and clitoris is likewise no risk."  That fact is still the case.  Similarly, there is no risk for HIV from open mouth kissing or from rubbing your eye with your hand before it was washed.  If these were your only exposures, I see no need for testing.---

Since  Sunday, about 2 weeks after the Bangkok weekend, I have been feeling a tad unwell again, muscle ache in shoulders, headache in back of my head and neck and feverish (the Dr didn't detect a temperature though), but i feel somewhat off-kilter and my lymph nodes feel "active". Not exactly show stopping symptoms, but enough to worry me. Your assessment was that I did not partake in risky behaviour as far as HIV goes. I'm mostly worried that i may have kissed someone with a sore and been "unlucky". I didn't want to write back as I wanted to put this behind me, but I'm back in the acute stress zone.

My assessment is unchanged.  HIV is not transmitted by kissing either, even in the presence of a sore.  If you need to prove that to yourself, test.  When symptoms are present, tests are always positive.  If you test, the test will be negative.  Look for other reasons for your symptoms  and try not to worry.  EWH---

Thanks for the answer Dr Hook. I'm feeling slightly better, but the discomfort in the armpit and groin lymph areas has not passed. I'm also feeling stiff in the neck and seem to be pooling some fluid in my lower legs during the day. Additionally, there has been some weight loss (3-4 kg in 3 weeks). As you suggest, I will go for a test when I return from my work assignment next week, but I'm fearing the worst. I read a couple of anecdotal accounts of people being infected through insertive oral sex and I'm not feeling so optimistic.

Hello again Dr Hook, i've continued to feel somewhat lousy and my ongoing symptoms include the weight loss, loss of appetite, aches in lymph nodes in arm/ groin (mild), and general weakness. I also noticed a few white spots on my tonsils, although the tonsils aren't don't appear particularly swollen. it doesn't look anywhere near as bad as when i had strep throat about 10 years ago, but it's a cause for alarm. i spoke to a Dr in Bangkok and have arranged for HIV test when I get away from work and a few other tests such as HepB, HepC , CBC and she mentioned testing me for other viruses etc. I don't think the HepB and HepC are necessary. I'm rather despondent at the moment to put it mildly as white spots on the tonsils are another hiv sign. What are your thoughts/ advice?

As I said in my original reply- "The activities you describe did not put you at risk for HIV. As I said to you 4 months ago- "... there are no proven cases of HIV acquired from receipt of oral sex.  Rubbing her vagina and clitoris is likewise no risk."  That fact is still the case.  Similarly, there is no risk for HIV from open mouth kissing or from rubbing your eye with your hand before it was washed.  If these were your only exposures, I see no need for testing."---