I'm 27, male, and last year I had unprotected oral and protected vaginal sex with an escort (female). 4 weeks later I took an HIV Combination test along with the rest of STD's (full panel). The results came back negative. I believe 2-4 weeks after that I freaked out thinking during the blood draw I got that the phlebotomist may have reused the needle or didn't take necessary precautions. So I went to another clinic where they did a rapid blood prick test with a lancet. Result was also negative. A year later I am still worried that the results may not have been accurate, especially with the blood draw that the phlebotomist did and the lancet prick too.(it seemed like he didn't want to be there. It was a Monday though so not sure ha). Should I continuously be worried about this as a risk? Thanks for reading.

The news is good:  absolutely you should not be at all worried about having HIV. First, escorts (expensive female sex workers by appointment) are generally believed to have very low rates of HIV and rarely transmit HIV to their clients. Second, oral sex is safe in regard to HIV, and condoms work, so you really had a virtually zero risk exposure. Thrid, the HIV combo test is almost 100% conclusive at 4 weeks; and with a second negative test a few weeks later, it is impossible you had HIV from the exposure you are worried about.

HIV is simply never transmitted through blood drawing procedures. There has not been such a case reported anywhere in the world in the past 25 years, since clinics and health care providers stopped reusing needles and syringes for blood drawing. No matter how poor the hygiene in the clinic and no matter how poor the technique of the technician, there is no risk at all.

So no worries at all. Do not have any further tests until and unless you have another potentially high risk exposure.

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

HHH, MD