[Question #7650] Vietnamese Sex worker encounter

54 months ago

Hi,

Last week I was in Dubai and had protected oral and vaginal sex with a Vietnamese sex worker.

The condom was intact at all time and I changed condom after oral. During oral sex I touched her outer vagina with my hand.

One week later I developed an irritated swollen red eye with some discharge. I checked my penis no visible discharge so far.

1. I know you answered this many time, but any chance for HIV?

2. Chances for catching other std including chlamydia or gonnorhea?

3. Can I start having sex with other people normally?

Thanks for your time

Edward W. Hook M.D.

54 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your questions. I’ll be glad to answer them. The encounter you describe was a no risk event with virtually no risk of acquiring any STI including HIV. In fact, the risk is so very, very low that I see no reason for testing at all. The reason I say this are as follows:

1. The rate of STI’s among commercial sex workers in Dubai is very very low. This includes the rate of HIV which is less than 1%.

2. Even if your partner happened to be infected, even without protection at all, most exposures do not result in infection. You use the condom, therefore this transforms a very low risk of that into a no risk event.

Thus, in response to your specific questions:

1. This was a virtually no risk encounter.

2. Virtually zero as well.

3. Nothing you have described about this encounter suggests A need to not have unprotected sex with your regular partner.

I hope this information is helpful. As I mentioned above, I see no reason for concern and no reason for testing for STI’s including HIV. If any part of this message is unclear, please use your up to to follow up questions for clarification. EWH

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54 months ago

Thanks doctor for the reassurance, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Isn’t a red eye with discharge a sign of gonnorhea or chlamydia? Is it common to have eye symptoms without having any other symptom?

Thanks again sir

Edward W. Hook M.D.

54 months ago

Unless there was direct introduction of potentially infectious material into your eye, your redness is likely to be due to some other non-STI cause.

A red eye is not a typical symptom of any STI

EWH

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