[Question #8475] Getting fingered STD RISK??

44 months ago

Q1. Got fingered by a male anally(am a male). He had a very small cut on his finger and maybe there was a tiny tiny amount of blood present. I am concerned that I may have got an STD from this? I remember reading here that there is no risk of getting any STD including HIV from getting fingered even if there is a cut on the person's finger and genital fluids are used and STD's are only transmitted through penetrative sex. I just wanted to confirm that this is true.

Q2. Also is the above also true for a girl(a girl being fingered) ie a girl can't get any STD from being fingered vaginally and anally even if there's a cut on the fingers.

I am overly paranoid right now and just wanted to confirm.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

44 months ago

Welcome back, but sorry you found it necessary. In general this question and your previous ones suggest you are over-worried about STD risk.

Q1: You understnad correctly: if there no penetration of a penis into a vagina, rectum, or mouth, you can safely assume there is little or no STD risk. No STDs are transmitted by fingering, or so rarely the risk can be ignored.

Q2: Also true.

HHH, MD

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43 months ago

Thank you for your reply Dr Handsfield
Also I had an encounter with a girl. Protected oral. 3 months later, I developed entire body rashes which were super super itchy. Went away after 1 week but with the use of medicines from doctors. Only remember full body rashes. Is this typical for HIV? I am very very worried right now. I also am in located in Australia and had the HIV 1/2 Antigen and Antibody test around 5 months after this encounter. I also had one 2 years after and they both came negative. My question is
1. Does this test in Australia 100% show I don't have HIV. I heard this test was 100% accurate and if I'm negative for it, then I 100% don't have it. is this true. I heard HIV can cause rashes so I was extremely worried about it.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

43 months ago

No STI, including HIV, causes a rash like you describe, and oral sex (even unprotected) is little or no risk for HIV. Every symptom that can occur with HIV (skin rash or anything else) also occurs with other, more common medical conditions. Symptoms almost never are a useful indicator of possible HIV infection: risk history (i.e. the kinds of sexual exposure) plus blood testing are much more accurate and reliable.

What you were told is correct: The HIV tests in Australia are the same as in the US and Western Europe and your negative results are 100% reliable.

Australia's federally funded sexual health centers are the world's very best network of STI/HIV clinics and prevention programs. They have world class personnel, professional standards and use only highly reliable methods. If you have future concerns or questions along the lines of your three questions on this forum, a visit to your nearest SHC (or a phone call or online advice) will be every bit as accurate as this forum. Indeed, in some instances more accurate, as they will be more familiar with local epidemiology and sexual risks. (If you are in Sydney or Melbourne, the SHCs there are the best of the best, probably the very best such clinics in the world. Take advantage of the world class resources you have!)

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43 months ago

Much appreciated Dr Handsfield

I just remembered. The rashes were more located on my upper half of the body. Don't think there was many/any on the lower half of the body. Does this change your opinion
1. From reading this site, I have read that receiving oral sex is a no risk event for acquiring HIV rather than little risk?
2. I remember reading that you have never seen anyone get HIV from oral sex. Did I remember this correctly?

Sorry for being very paranoid. Despite receiving reassurance, I am still quite paranoid.

Much appreciated

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

43 months ago

1. No HIV transmissions by receiving oral sex (i.e. from mouth to penis) have ever been scientifically proved. That indicates the risk is exceedingly low, but nobody can say it is truly zero.

2. I have never seen this and neither has anyone else, at least not a proved case. Some infected persons believe that's how they caught it, but most people with HIV have had multiple exposures and despite their beliefs, usually cannot know for certain when and from whom their infections were acquired.

I have no answer to your "paranoid" concerns about it. But please stop coming to this forum with the same concerns. Repeated anxiety driven questions on the same topic are subject to being deleted without reply (and without refund of the posting fee). Professional counseling might be a good idea.

That concludes this thread. Do your best to move on without worry.

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