[Question #2230] About HIV

87 months ago

So I recently contracted HSV 2, first std in my life, brought unprotected sex. I had sex unprotected with two women that weekend Friday and Sunday and a few days later I had a outbreak. On Sunday her period came on, but if I contracted HSV2 from the first girl on Friday is there a chance I could of gave it to the second girl on Sunday. Also as soon as I had a outbreak I went and got tested at anylab for everything. I was negative for everything but I had a swab test that said I was positive. It has been over a month now, and I'm Scared of HIV, not saying these woman had that but what's the chance I could of got it from one of them, I want to go get a rapid test today to see if I'm good, is over a month a fair enough window period?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

87 months ago

Welcome to our Forum. I'll be glad to comment. It is unfortunate that you acquired HSV from one of the encounters you described. As you have probably heard, HSV does act to biologically increase the risk for HIV if exposed. That said, your risk for infection is quite low. Most women do not have HIV and even if one of your partners did, your risk for getting HIV would be less than 1 chance in 2000 exposures. If you had active HSV lesions at the time, your risk would be lower but still low- about in 700. Thus statistically the odds are that you were not infected.

At 4 weeks a rapid test for HIV antibodies would detect 85-90% of recent infections and a combination HIV antigen/antibody test would detect well over 95% of recent infections. The combination tests provide definitive results by six weeks after exposure.

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH

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