[Question #5977] Hiv ars
71 months ago
|
One month ago i had unprotected vaginal sex i am a male uncircumcised she is 40 Latina i know her for years recently single. 7 days later i felt like a case of balantitis but wasn't responding well to anti-fungal steroid it went away after 3 days . About 14 days after sex i came home with a terrible stomach ache and diarrhea few hours later i was sweating and developed fever along with muscle aches (i did not have a sore throat) i decided to mix tylenol and advil and had severe Night sweats for 2 nights total. Symptoms completely resolved within 48 hours of onset and by third day i was back to myself. Ive had similar symptoms in past as i do have crohns
I asked the female in question if she had any stds and she became extremely defensive , stated she does not sleep around and to just reassure me she was tested back in April. She sounded mad why did i ask her after the fact which i think shes correct
Given the scenario would you be worried about hiv i have taken tests but have severe anxiety waiting for results and going back for them?
Does this sound like ars have you seen such a short duration of ars without sore throat and rash, could of it been a stomach virus and be so coincidental?
What are your thoughts Doc
Thanks
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
71 months ago
|
Welcome to our forum and thanks for your confidence in our service. All in all, this was a low risk exposure. HIV is rare in women and even if she were infected, your risk for infection from a single unprotected exposure would be less than 1 in 1200. Nonetheless you had a febrile illness with some of the characteristics of the ARS, as well as I suspect, of your Crohns disease (i.e. fever. muscle aches, diarrhea) but, as you point out does not have the characteristic sore throat as resolved somewhat more quickly than is typical for the ARS. My guess is that this was not the ARS. Having said that, you are well informed and cautious enough to ask if it might be. Answer- probably not although you can be sure by testing. If your illness was the ARS, your test would be positive at this time as the ARS occurs during the period of high viral (antigen) concentration and during antibody production.
As an editorial comment, I'm sorry that she took offense in a reasonable question. Perhaps she is not as knowledgeable as you are. In our opinion, such questions are an appropriate part of conversation early in new sexual relationships.
I hope this information is helpful and not too convoluted. The chance that this was the ARS is very, very low- less than 1 in 100,000 for sure, probably lower. EWH
---
71 months ago
|
Just a follow up i tested negative for all stds including hiv 27 days after with duo test. Thanks for the reassurance my symptoms were not due to ARS
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
71 months ago
|
Great. Glad to hear it. this proves that your symptoms were not due to HIV. Time to move on with no further concerns. EWH---