[Question #2652] Need Help - HiV Risk

95 months ago

Hello Doctor,

I read all your blogs and answers and you are providing great service.

About 22 days back I went to a massage/spa place and she gave me a unprotected hand job after few mins of massage.

What is the risk of getting HIV from that?

When she touched my back I felt something sticky not sure it was massage oil or something. I am worried that it could be a previous customer cum or something? Can this way virus can pass?

I am having cough last 3 days and not feeling that great. it is freaks me out. Is that anything to be concerned? I am planning to see my doctor for cough issue.

Today 21 day after the incident I took the 4th Gen Test and it was negative. I guess it is too soon . Should I have to test again after 28 days?

My main worry is, can I continue my sex life with my partner ?

Please help me.

Thanks

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

95 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your confidence in our services, and for reviewing other questions similar to your own. Having seen some of those questions, I'm sure you can predict my replies.

There is no risk for HIV or other STDs from such exposures. They are not transmitted by hand-genital contact, even if genital fluids are used for lubrication. And skin contact with infected blood or fluids also is risk free: even if the wet spot you felt was from a previous HIV infected customer, you could not have caught the infection. Also, you're symptoms don't concern me: cough is not a symptom of a new HIV infection. (The "flu like" symptoms often mentioned for new HIV infections mean headache, fever, muscles aches, and sore throat -- but not cough, stuffy nose, etc.) Almost certainly you caught a minor cold, unrelated to the massage 3 weeks previously.

So I recommend against any STD or HIV testing, and you can safely continue your normal sexual practices with your wife. That's what I would do if somehow I were in your situation. Of course, you are free to be tested for HIV if the negative results would give you more reassurance, in addition to my professional opinion. If so, have a lab-based 4th generation (antigen-antibody) HIV test 4 weeks after the event, for an almost 100% conclusive result; or at 6 weeks for a definite 100% reault. If you decide to be tested, you can count on the result being negative.

I hope this information is helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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95 months ago

hello doctor

my caugh is better now. just realized that during that cough i had stuffy nose also slight fever . when i measured it was above 99.

Even though i didn't have any body ache or chill.

does that fever changes your opinion?

i am sorry to bother again.

the test i did at 21 days was not reliable?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

95 months ago

As discussed above, your symptoms are not typical for acute HIV: with or without fever, cough and nasal congestion do not occur with HIV.

Sorry I neglected to comment previously about your HIV test. That result at 3 weeks is at least 90% conclusive.

Combining the low risk of your exposure, symptoms that don't fit HIV, and your negative test, you can be 100% certain you aren't infected.

As I also said above, you might consider a final conclusive 4th gen blood test 6 weeks after the event. I woudn't do it if somehow I were in your situation, but you're free to do it if you wish.

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95 months ago

Thank you doctor. I did the 4th week ( few hours less than 28 days) test as well and came negative.

I am not planning to do any more testing. Thanks for your help.

Just one thing curios to know. Sorry, if I am picking on the word. Your first reply you mentioned it NO risk and the second reply it was mentioned LOW risk.

should I worry anything about that? Sorry and thank you for all your help. I really appreciate.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

95 months ago

There is no difference in meaning in my "no risk" versus "low risk" comments. There are few absolutes in biology and medicine, and one can imagine scenarios in which hand-genital contact or skin contact with blood or other body fluids could result in HIV transmission, which would support "low risk". But no such cases are known to have occured, so "no risk" also is appropriate. Sometimes I remember to write things like "no risk for all practical purposes" or "no appreciable risk". On this forum, we don't take responsibility for anxious persons who might spin our comments one way or another!

Thanks for your kind comments about our services. I'm glad to have helped.

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