[Question #179] STD Fear / Dr.Hunter Handsfield

107 months ago

Hello Doctors,

In 2013 to 2014 I have visited around 7 CSW, though it was a safe sex with condom,after hearing about Herpes around some websites I got feared.

There was mutual touching of body parts with hands,But my actual sex penetration with them was not even for a minute or 2.

But one CSW gave me a bare blowjob...

And My last intercourse was in October 2014....

Now am really worried to get married, as am feared that any of STD's may get transferred to future partner..(Planning to get married this year end)

No symptoms, Except sometimes I feel lite itching, Is this normal ? or any indication of Herpes.?

I done my HIV and HSV (both IgG & IgM ) 1 & 2 tests in June 2015 month, all are negative...

Can I consider HIV and HSV 1 & 2 tests which done after 7 months of my last intercourse are final that I don't have herpes or do you recommend any other tests for herpes...

I am feeling very stressed and I am afraid of spreading any infection to my future wife...

Please let me know what other tests need to get done that am STD free and alright.

Thank you.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

107 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.

It seems you are the victim of too much internet searching and, like many anxious persons with an internet connection, you appear to have been drawn to information that inflames your fears and have missed the reassuring parts. You describe very low risk exposures, assuming no obvious condom breakage. The chance you caught HSV, HIV, or any other STD from those encounters is very low.

That said, it is always reasonable for people with multiple partners over time to be tested for common STDs, so your testing in June made sense. Happily, your HIV and HSV results are conclusive; 7 months is plenty of time. The only consideration is that you don't mention other STDs. If not yet done, you should also have a blood test for syphilis and a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia. Since you have no symptoms to suggest either one, and your commercial sexual exposures all were safe, almost certainly these will also be negative. (If already done, the results are conclusive and you don't need to be tested again.)

So no worries. All is well. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

Best wishes-- HHH, MD

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107 months ago

There is no breakage of condom..(This is what I remember,)

And I gave samples for Blood test for syphilis and a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia & waiting for reports..

And what is this HPV,shall I get it done this test too for my satisfaction (really confused with high amount of fear )

Please let me know & guide me Sir..Thank you.

107 months ago

There is no breakage of condom..(This is what I remember,)

And I gave samples for Blood test for syphilis and a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia & waiting for reports..

1 ) And Urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia is done by PCR, This is what Diagnostic Center says,

Hope we are on same page..

2 ) And what is this HPV,shall I get it done this test too..Does Good Immune system helps in preventing HPV..

What are the chances of spreading HPV for future Partner/Wife.

Do I really need to worry about this HPV or Can I ignore it..(really confused with high amount of fear by reading more articles online)

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

107 months ago

Glad to hear you have had all the proper tests. Based on all you have said so far, you can expect them all to be negative.

HPV stands for human papillomavirus. It's just about the most common of all STDs. Everybody gets it, often several times; you can assume your future wife will have already been infected and may be carrying the virus; at any point in time, genital infection is present in 20-50% of healthy adults. Most HPV infections remain asymptomatic, never causing disease, but a few types can cause genital warts or, more rarely, genital cancers. But even these kinds of HPV infection do not actually progress to cancer and are eliminated by the immune system. Vaccines are available to prevent infection with the most common disease-causing HPV types, but are not recommended except for younger persons (under age 26) (I don't know your age). There is no approved test for HPV infection in men, although testing often is done in women along with (or instead of) pap smears.

Beyond these basic facts, you'll need to do your own research and reading about HPV. You could start with information available on this website, i.e. ASHA (www.ashasexualhealth.org) and that provided by CDC (www.cdc.gov/std). But the bottom line is that you can ignore any risk from these particular sexual exposures.

Under forum rules, you can ask one more follow-up question/comment for your original posting fee. I suggest you hold off until you have your test results. At that time, feel free to ask any remaining quesitons or for other clarifications. In the meantime, stay mellow. The chance you have any important STD is very low.

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

105 months ago

Dear Sam:

It has been a month. If you have a follow-up question, please post it now. In a couple of days this thread will be closed.

Thanks.

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