Over the past couple of years, I have participated in mutual masturbation with other men (status unknown). in all cases, the contact was brief but I imagine there could have been some exchange of bodily fluids (hand to genital)  This is the extent of my contact. No kissing, no oral, no penetration of any kind. I've never been tested for STD's as this is all I've ever done and from reading your numerous responses on medhelp, mutual masturbation is zero risk and therefore no need for testing. Over the past six months or so, I've been experiencing some memory issues (taking longer to remember names, etc) and I'm fairly young (40). I've read in several places that memory loss can be associated with HIV. Based on my sexual history as stated and recent memory issues, could there be a connection and a need to be tested? Also, can you spread some light on the issue of memory loss and HIV and when that generally occurs? 

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.---

Dr. Handsfield, Thank you for your quick response. It is definitely a huge relief. This was my first post and I had read a lot of the other threads especially considering mutual masturbation. I just hadn't seen anything on point with memory loss and HIV (sorry if I missed it somewhere else).  I guess my only follow up question would be that as long as one sticks to mutual masturbation only (with no other exposures) is there any reason to test for STD's ever?

Thanks for the thanks; glad to have helped.---

Dr. Handsfield, I'd like to ask one further follow up as a result of a recent illness. I've always been generally healthy with the exception of the occasional cold, sinus infection etc.  I recently had what started as a cough, turned cold and now back to a cough (the other symptoms of the cold went away pretty quickly). Anyway, I had the cough checked and they said it was lobar pneumonia and am currently on antibiotics.  Being that I have never had anything like this before, I was just wondering if this could be an opportunistic infection that you refer to in your response?  And if something like this could be an opportunistic infection, given my participation in mutual masturbation (and due to the fact that I've never had anything like pneumonia before) if you would now consider testing if you were me?  For some reason, I get hung up on the "theoretically possible" scenario and wonder at what point you have it checked out just in case??  Please let me know your thoughts.  And thank you again for all the work you do here. 

Lobar pneumonia is not typically an opportunistic infection. Should you be tested for HIV? Not because of the non-risky events discussed above. OTOH, most experts would agree that HIV testing should be done whenever someone has a potentially severe illness, such as lobar pneumonia. On that basis, it would not be surprising if your doctors recommend HIV testing. If they don't, feel free to discuss it with them. If testing is done, I am confident the result will be negative, despite your pneumonia -- assuming you have not otherwise been exposed to HIV, other than the events described above.---