[Question #9316] HIV risk

34 months ago

Dear doctor:

I did a massage with a male worker, and we had some sexual practices, which consisted of fondling the anus by hand, and we exchanged oral sex 30 days ago, and I am now concerned about the HIV.

Is my relation considered dangerous and requires examination?

thanks for your help

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

34 months ago

Thanks for your continued confidence in our services. However, these questions are very similar to some of your previous ones and the answers are similar as well. Sex with men is riskier than with female partners. In regard to HIV, the riskiest part of this exposure was you performing oral sex on him, especially if he ejaculated in your mouth. But even in that case, the average risk of HIV is one chance in 10,000. That's equivalent to giving BJs to HIV infected men once daily for 27 years before it might be likely you would be infected yourself. And there has never been a proved transmission of HIV from mouth to penis, so that part of the exposure was risk free.

The chance of other STDs also is low, and not having symptoms after 30 days further reduces the chance you were infected with anything. However, for complete certainty, you could have a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia; a throat swab for gonorrhea; and blood tests for HIV and syphilis. The gonorrhea and chlamydia tests can be done any time. The blood tests should wait until 6 weeks after the event. It is very unlikely any of these will be positive, but probably you will be less worried once you have had the negative results.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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34 months ago

I would like to clarify that oral sex was for a few seconds without ejaculation in my mouth. Does it still need to be checked?

Thank you doctor

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

34 months ago

I did not recommend you be tested. I said you "could" consider it, if my advice alone doesn't sufficiently resolve your concerns. I agree that with such brief oral contact your risk is even lower.

In general, STD/HIV testing is not recommended after any single sexual exposure unless the risk is higher than this. On the other hand, everyone participating in activities like you describe should be tested from time to time, like once a year. Since you experience such events from time to time (as indicated by your past questions as well as this one), periodic testing makes sense. Therefore, if you have not been tested recently, perhaps this would be a good time. If so, I would recommend annual blood tests for HIV and syphilis, a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and throat swab for gonorrhea. Not because of this particular event, but because of your general sexual lifestyle.

By the way, please directly type any further questions or comments. The pasted version introduces partial text that requires editing to be fully legible -- perhaps because you're using a translation program? Thanks.

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34 months ago

Thank you doctor Hunter .

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

34 months ago

You're welcome; I'm glad to have helped.

That completes the three follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. Best wishes and stay safe.

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