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Hello, I’m Trying To Determine If I May Have Been
Question: Hello, I’m trying to determine if I may have been infected with HIV. Exactly 15 days ago, I had a sexual encounter with a sex worker. We used protection but it was a lamb skin condom which I did not find out was ineffective at protecting against STDs/STIs until after the fact. She performed oral sex on me without a condom and then we had vaginal intercourses to completion with the condom on. After the encounter, I noticed a bruise on the fold of her arm, and my mind immediately went to intravenous drug use. Exactly 11 days later, this past Tuesday evening, I started getting an extremely mild general sick feeling. No sore throat, no fever, swollen glands that I can tell, just the mild sick feeling with very minor congestion accompanied by a minor cough. That lasted approximately 72 hours, and today, I have a very minor pain in my left shoulder with a slight ache at the left base of my skull. I am scheduled for a test on November 4th - I wanted to wait till I was in the detection window - but what are the real chances this is HIV?
Brief Answer:
HIV virus is very susceptible to the open air
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for using "Ask A Doctor" service.
I read carefully your query and I understand your concern.
The chance of having contracted HIV is very small. HIV is a virus that doesn't resist in the open air but dies immediately. So it can surely be transmitted sexually but only if there is blood exchange. If two people have anal sex, where the trauma on the tissues can be bigger, the chance of exchanging HIV is only 1%, so very small. In the case of vaginal sex, it is surely smaller.
The story you describe, regarding the symptoms, can be a possibility of having had the first stage of HIV infection. But it can be also a great coincidence. We are in the season of upper respiratory tract infections and especially with coronavirus around, it could have been any of these viruses.
Do not worry and wait until the results of the tests. I think it is a very low chance they'd come positive.
I hope this helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards,
Dr. Klarida Papaqako
General and family physician
HIV virus is very susceptible to the open air
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for using "Ask A Doctor" service.
I read carefully your query and I understand your concern.
The chance of having contracted HIV is very small. HIV is a virus that doesn't resist in the open air but dies immediately. So it can surely be transmitted sexually but only if there is blood exchange. If two people have anal sex, where the trauma on the tissues can be bigger, the chance of exchanging HIV is only 1%, so very small. In the case of vaginal sex, it is surely smaller.
The story you describe, regarding the symptoms, can be a possibility of having had the first stage of HIV infection. But it can be also a great coincidence. We are in the season of upper respiratory tract infections and especially with coronavirus around, it could have been any of these viruses.
Do not worry and wait until the results of the tests. I think it is a very low chance they'd come positive.
I hope this helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards,
Dr. Klarida Papaqako
General and family physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you for the response. What about HIV present in the vaginal fluid? I know it’s a .004 chance of contracting HIV that way, but I’m just concerned due to the timing of my symptoms. Is the fact that my symptoms are very mild a good sign?
Brief Answer:
Mild symptoms are not necessarily a good sign.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow-up question.
Yes, as I mentioned above, the chance of getting HIV through normal vaginal intercourse it is very very low.
And yes, the symptoms and timing you had them suggest prodromal HIV infection symptoms. But only the test is confirmatory. Because those symptoms can be a common viral infection.
The fact that the symptoms were mild is worse than a good sign actually. This because makes us think less it is a typical common cold that normally gives those symptoms but with higher intensity. While prodromal HIV symptoms are milder.
But again, it may have been a coincidence the timing and the symptoms. Only the test can confirm or rule out the HIV infection for sure. So think of this and that the chance to have contacted HIV with only one time vaginal intercourse with a person who not necessarily was infected is very small.
I hope my answer has reassured you a bit.
Let me know if you have other questions or concerns.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako
Mild symptoms are not necessarily a good sign.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow-up question.
Yes, as I mentioned above, the chance of getting HIV through normal vaginal intercourse it is very very low.
And yes, the symptoms and timing you had them suggest prodromal HIV infection symptoms. But only the test is confirmatory. Because those symptoms can be a common viral infection.
The fact that the symptoms were mild is worse than a good sign actually. This because makes us think less it is a typical common cold that normally gives those symptoms but with higher intensity. While prodromal HIV symptoms are milder.
But again, it may have been a coincidence the timing and the symptoms. Only the test can confirm or rule out the HIV infection for sure. So think of this and that the chance to have contacted HIV with only one time vaginal intercourse with a person who not necessarily was infected is very small.
I hope my answer has reassured you a bit.
Let me know if you have other questions or concerns.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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