[Question #8576] Risk of transmission

42 months ago

Dear doctors,

I really need your help to calm down.

3 months ago I had a boyfriend, we always had vaginal protected sex with a condom. Before we had sex I asked him to make a hiv test, which he did, he said it was negative. I am very careful and always ask my new partners to test before engaging in sex, because of how scared I am about hiv.

After 2 months we splitted up and he acted very strange, which made me think that probably I really did not know this person as I thought. He is following a lot of vulgar woman on social madia which made me think about who he really is.

After the split I started to worry because I remember that one I had touched his penis ( masturbation) and then with the same hand without washing put on the condom before sex. There was no visible amout of preseminal fluid on the condom, but still theoretically I touched it and then the condom on the side that goes into the femal genitals.

If he would lie to me about the test or cheated on me, am I at risk from this situation.

I cannot sleep because of it and I am very scared of testing.

I did not have any symptoms.

Thank you

42 months ago

What concerns me is that I touched the preseminal fluid before I thouched the condom.

I hope you can reasure me. Would you be concerned in my place?

I always ask men to test before we have sex, use condoms and I still manage to be scared.

Thank you

Edward W. Hook M.D.

42 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. I’ll be glad to comment. Even before we address the events that you describe, let me remind you that most people, even most people who are considered “high risk”, do not have STI’s or HIV. No STI, including HIV would be transmitted through the transfer of his genital secretions on either his or your hands. This is true both if the genital secretions were to be transferred to the condom that was being put on or even if his genital secretions on his hands were introduced into your vagina through mutual masturbation. Direct or indirect hand to genital contact and transfer of genital secretions through those actions is a no risk of it for HIV or other STI’s.

I see no reason for concern related to the event you describe. While personally I see no reason for testing, if you wish to seek additional reassurance that you were not infected, testing at this time would be conclusive for evidence of gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other treatable bacterial STIS and would provide more than 98% conclusive results for HIV.

I hope this information is helpful. Please don’t worry. EWH

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42 months ago

Dear Dr Hook,

Thank you for your answer.

If there would be preseminal fluid that I would transfer from my hands to the outside of the condom ( not visible amount), would that posed me to a risk?

If I was not at risk I would prefer to just be reassured and not go through extremely stressful testing, because I am afraid of it.

Would you personally be worried about it?

Thank you very much

Edward W. Hook M.D.

42 months ago

Your power question has already been answered. If your partner had untreated HIV and you transferred any of your partner’s genital secretions to the outside of a condom on your hands it would not put you at any risk for acquisition of HIV. None at all!

I see no medical or scientific reason for testing related to the event you described. Please don’t worry. EWH

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42 months ago

Thank you Dr Hook,

You literally saved my life from a hudge stress.

Good bless you

42 months ago

Dear doctor,

I purchased another question.

I would like to ask you to understand why in this case there is no risk?

Is it the case that the virus dies in contact with air? Even if it is on air just some seconds?

Is the direct contact needed?

Thank you for the explanation

Edward W. Hook M.D.

42 months ago

You did not purchase another question. This is the final third) response for the question you did purchase. In addition, your question is somewhat repetitive and has been answered numerous times elsewhere on the forum.

HIV is transmitted only through direct mucosal contact or injection of infected material deep into tissue. The virus becomes non-infectious virtually immediately upon exposure to the air/environment or inanimate objects. There are no reports of HIV being transmitted when persons get each other’s genital secretion on one another in the context of mutual masturbation, following contact with contaminated inanimate objects or following transfer of infections material from person to person on someone’s hand. As I already explained to you, the scenario you describe was a no risk event even in the unlikely circumstance that your partner had untreated HIV.

This completes this thread. Please do not let your anxiety and unwarranted concerns lead you to worry further about this. Further, as I believe you know, repetitive, anxiety driven questions are discouraged and should you post another question of the sort, your question may be deleted without a response and without return of your posting fee. Once again, please don’t worry. EWH

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