[Question #9492] HIV concern and testing

32 months ago

Greetings Drs,

I’m a male and met with a married woman and kissed each other on the cheeks and necks with some licking on the necks. I tested using HIV 4th generation lab (ag/ab) 44 and 49 days after the exposure and both were negative (non-reactive). In addition, I asked the woman to test 55 days after the exposure and she was negative. I felt relaxed for short time and then my OCD kicked in again. My questions:

1- was my exposures risky in any way

2- were my results conclusive

3- was her result a great relief or nothing to count on

Thanks

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

32 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your question and your confidence in our services.

This was a zero risk exposure. Even prolonged sexual (open mouth) kissing does not transmit HIV, and certainly mouth contact with other persons' skin cannot do so. For purposes of HIV and risk of other STDs, you did not have sex, which is required for someone to catch the virus. Neither you nor your partner needed testing, but both her results and yours are conclusive proof you do not have HIV.

Those comments address all three of your questions, but to assure no misunderstanding: 1) No risk at all. 2) Yes, your negative resutls were conclusive. 3) Her result proves she doesn't have HIV and you could not catch it her even with sex or any other contact you can hink of.

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

HHH, MD

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32 months ago

Thank you so much Dr HHH for the quick and informative reply. My concern was the licking part, what if she had small cuts or sores in her neck and that came in contact with my tongue or lips that might’ve had some cuts that resulted in blood exchange of some sort. Is that still a concern and if so, did the tests I did rule that out or you think more HIV or other STI testing is needed. Thanks

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

32 months ago

As I said, nobody ever gets any STD from mouth contact with any part of the body, except genital (i.e. oral sex). And obviously there must have been billions of situations in which there was oral contact with wounds, cuts, pimples, etc and still no known STD transmission. The trivial amount of blood one might encounter is too small to be a concern. And even if you were exposed, your negative test results are conclusive. (Sorry I fogot to comment on that in my reply above. I would not have been tested, if I were in such a situation. But the tests you had would have been conclusive even if you'd had a true exposure.) For sure this is nothing to worry about!---

32 months ago

Once again, thanks dr and this is my last follow up: In your medical and professional opinion I should forget about it and move on with my life specially resuming my sexual relation with my wife?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

32 months ago

"In your medical and professional opinion I should forget about it and move on with my life specially resuming my sexual relation with my wife?" Yes. These are exactly the point of my comments above.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. For the future, the simple take-home message and all you really need to know is that without sex (penile pentration), there is never any significant risk for HIV or any other STD.

Best wishes and stay safe (as you have been).

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