I suffer from fear of HIV and am celibate, although regularly kiss on dates, since I know that's not a risk.  Several months ago, I was making out with a guy (I am also a guy) in my car and he put my hand on his crotch area.  To my surprise, he had pulled out his penis and I was touching his bare skin.  I moved my hand away after some time, but I must've rubbed the bottom of my nose shortly thereafter because I suspect I now get cold sores on it from this event.  I had my first cold sore a few days after the event, and a second about a year later.  I never have had cold sores on my lips or nose before.  Assuming I caught the cold sore virus from touching his penis and then touching my face, am I at any risk for HIV?  I also remember rubbing my eyes about 30 minutes after this event, although the cold sore appeared on my nose.  I have allergies and rub my nose frequently so it is likely that I did so after dropping him off.  

I have not had any other risk factors since my last negative HIV test.  Is there any way I may have caught HIV from this event, and should I be tested?  

I see two issues worthy of discussing, but they are closely related to one another. First, your oral herpes (or nasal, if it was on your nose) ("cold sore virus"):  probably you did not catch it in the way you think. The herpes simplex viruses (HSV1, HSV2) are not so easily transmitted; brief or fleeting contact usually isn't enough, and you don't get it by transmitting it there with hand or fingers. In general the infected area -- in your case, your mouth -- itself must be directly exposed, i.e. kissing or oral sex on an infected person. Further, the first infection with HSV rarely shows up as a single cold sore. First infections with HSV can be entirely without symptoms, but when symptoms occur, generally it shows up as multiple painful sores of the mouth or face that last a couple of weeks, along with severe sore throat and fever. (Single or a few blisters or sores happen with recurrent outbreaks, usually not with the first infection.)

Half of all adults in the US (up to 90% in some cultures) are infected with HSV1, usually acquired in childhood, or as adults (usually from kissing), and many of them never have active outbreaks (oral herpes, cold sores). It also is common for the first recognized outbreak to occur months or years later. In other words, probably the HSV1 causing your first recognized cold sore was acquired years earlier. Or it could have come from any of the persons you kissed in the months or years leading up to your first recognized outbreak. (All this assumes your self-diagnosis of cold sores is correct. If it started like a blister or pimple and then crusted over the next few days, probably you are right. But if there is any doubt and if not professionally diagnosed, consider seeing a doctor for confirmation and perhaps testing for HSV the next time it happens.)

The other issue -- which, as I said, is closely related to the first -- is that HIV is even harder to transmit than HIV. Nobody in the world ever caught it by the sort of contact you describe with the guy in your car. If truly celibate -- i.e. you never have had sexual intercourse, i.e. vaginal or anal sex -- you cannot possibly have acquired HIV sexually. And you are correct that HIV is not transmitted by kissing. Shared drug injection equipment also is a major risk for HIV, but I assume you know that and would have told me if  you use drugs by injection. Anyway, nobody ever catches HIV from the sort of contact you had in your car, or from being in contact with infected people other than sexual or with shared drug equipment, or by rubbing the eyes.

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

HHH, MD

I will put the incident behind me and not worry about HIV, as I have not had any sex nor used drugs.