[Question #7960] HIV tests and Cunnilingus
50 months ago
|
Good afternoon Doctors:
Sorry to take up your time as I will be brief. As you know I had unprotected vaginal sex on 4/11/21 with a 40 year old Dominican woman and started PEP 36 hours after and took PEP for 29 days. I finished PEP on May 11th. I do have genital herpes and didn't notice any outbreaks.
Anyhow
I took a 4th generation ab/ag test by lab on the 24th day (Friday June 4th) after I finished PEP and it was negative. and an antibody rapid test on day 28 (Tuesday June 8th) after I finished PEP which was negative.
1) Are those tests a good indicator of my HIV status?
2) I did have a reddish rash on my upper left arm and upper back in certain spots for a day or two after being in a hot room and having protected vaginal sex with a new current girlfriend. It wasn't painful or itchy. It's hot here in the northeast and we are in a heatwave. The rash occurred on Sunday and Monday Day 26-27 after I finished PEP. It has since gone away. I had my second covid pfizer shot also on the 24th day after I finished PEP (Friday June 4th). Would the rash indicate HIV seroconversion or syphilis? I never had a fever or swollen glands or anything. I tested negative for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at 6 weeks out.
3) If a male performs cunnilingus on a woman, Can you get syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia from that? Is it a high risk activity to get that? And if you get it orally can you transfer it to another person?
Thanks again in advance and I give you all credit for your knowledge and kind words!
50 months ago
|
I should add I have had body aches at times over the last couple of days. Is that a sign of HIV seroconversion? They come and go and could be anxiety related.
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
50 months ago
|
Welcome back to the Forum although I'm sorry you felt the need. My sense is that you are worrying about your past exposure more than you need to. Straight to your questions:
1. At 28 days, standard 4th generation tests detect over 99% of recent infections. Your 28 day test result is a good indicator that you did not get HIV from the exposure that led to your taking PEP.
2. Your 6 week syphilis test is conclusive and the rash you describe in no way suggests syphilis.
3. Cunnilingus is a very low risk exposure for oral acquisition of all STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. I would not worry about STI risk related to cunnilingus. If you had oral gonorrhea or chlamydia, there is a tiny chance that you might transmit it through cunnilingus but the probability of transmission is probably vanishingly low.
Hope this helps. EWH
---
50 months ago
|
It does doctor. thank you very much.
I'm not sure what generation the rapid test was. I tmight have been a third generation but it did include antibodies.
1) So I can be fairly certain it was accurate?
2) and is the rash a typical symptom of HIV seroconversion? That concerns me for some reason. Although it only lasted 2 days.
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
50 months ago
|
Antibody only tests take longer to be conclusive. Despite that, at 28 days most (~90%) of infected persons would have positive tests.
Get over your concern about the rash. your description is in no way suggestive and had your rash been due to HIV, your test, even an antibody test, would have been positive. EWH
---
50 months ago
|
On Thursday, I just did a HIV 4th generation ab/ag TEST Via Lab. It was negative. This was at day 30 AFTER finishing PEP. (7.5 weeks since encounter)
1) Should I consider this test accurate?
2) I know you said don’t worry ab the rash I had for 2 days. Hypothetically if that rash was HIV related and I got it on Sunday. Then I had the ab/at 4th generation test on Thursday would that have been positive test at that point?
3) do you recommend anymore testing or can I finally put this behind me?
No more unprotected sex for me. I learned my lesson!!
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
50 months ago
|
1. This result is strong evidence that you were not infected. As you know however, the official recommendation is that results are not entirely conclusive until 6 weeks after completion of PEP. I have never seen a person with a negative test at 4 weeks then turn positive.
---
2. Sigh. if you r rash was due to HIV, the test taken then or afterward the appearance of the rash would be positive.
I3. Personally, I would not seek further testing and would not worry.
EWH