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Can STDs Be Contracted Through Oral Sex?

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Posted on Fri, 20 Feb 2015
Question: Hi,
Need your prompt response and thoughts for my peace of mind.
Two days ago went to a massage parlour and had unprotected insertive oral with the masseuse for only a few seconds (10 - 15 seconds at the most).
Although she had no visible sores/lesions of any type in her mouth, and I understand from multiple threads in Medhelp that "fellatio" is considered "very low risk" for practical purposes, would highly appreciate your response and thoughts to the following:
* The day after said unprotected oral single episode, I took a 500mg azithromycin pill, followed by other three 500 mg pills, each one after a 12-hour period (4 doses of 500 mg azithromycin pills taken every 12 hours for a total dose of 2g distributed in 2 days), as per medical advise for prevention purposes only (and peace of mind).
Q: Given the very brief oral exposure (10 - 15 seconds) and no visible lesions/sores on the masseuse's mouth, would you still consider a chance of 1 in 10 for transmission of NGU or gonorrhea (as mentioned in other threads in Medhelp) in the case she had such oral infections?
Q 2: If I was exposed to gonorrhea and NGU (most common STD's for this type of exposure), would the azithromycin taken the day after have prevented/aborted such infections?
Q3: When could I get tested for NGU/gonorrhea following the azithromycin dose?
Thanks so much. Truly appreciate your thoughts.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
I think you probably would be safe

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us at healthcaremagic

I have gone through your query and I have understood it.

Unprotected receptive oral sex is a low risk activity in terms of STD's like gonorrhea and chlamydia, but the risk is not entirely Zero.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia can infect the throat mucosa and therefore may get transmitted from oral to genital mucosa of an uninfected partner, provided she had throat infection.
Longer the sexual contact carries on higher the risk of transmission. It would be hard to comment on whether the chances would be 1 in 10 or any lower.

A single dose of 1 gm of Azithromycin is curative for both Gonorrhea as well as Chlamydia. That is the recommendation.
Though you took 4 doses of 500 mg Azithromycin 12 hours apart but I guess it would have also protected you from infection.

Swab test can detect infection with gonorrhea and chlamydia and is accurate at 2 weeks. Earlier tests can be false negative.

Regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Kakkar

Dermatologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 9612 Questions

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Can STDs Be Contracted Through Oral Sex?

Brief Answer: I think you probably would be safe Detailed Answer: Hello. Thank you for writing to us at healthcaremagic I have gone through your query and I have understood it. Unprotected receptive oral sex is a low risk activity in terms of STD's like gonorrhea and chlamydia, but the risk is not entirely Zero. Gonorrhea and chlamydia can infect the throat mucosa and therefore may get transmitted from oral to genital mucosa of an uninfected partner, provided she had throat infection. Longer the sexual contact carries on higher the risk of transmission. It would be hard to comment on whether the chances would be 1 in 10 or any lower. A single dose of 1 gm of Azithromycin is curative for both Gonorrhea as well as Chlamydia. That is the recommendation. Though you took 4 doses of 500 mg Azithromycin 12 hours apart but I guess it would have also protected you from infection. Swab test can detect infection with gonorrhea and chlamydia and is accurate at 2 weeks. Earlier tests can be false negative. Regards