possible ars symptoms

[goodnight7]

Hello Doctor,

My question is this. Had protected vaginal sex and anal sex with a CSW in Panama, Central America. Used 3 different condoms at different times.  They all looked intact after intercourse. Also, had unprotected oral sex, where i was the receiver. i did notice some blood on the bed afterwards. Never got to ask her hiv status.

3 days after, i had stomach cramps and loose stools for a few days but no diarehea .  20 days after, i developed an upper sore throat but it felt more like it was aggrevated by me being congested and just having a lump in my throat. And it felt scratchy. It lasted a week. Also, I had a slight headache that day.   No fever.  No rash. No swollen nodes.

So what are the chances that is a sign of ARS?  Also, what is the rate of hiv in Panama CSW if you know.  Thanks.  I plan on doing a home test.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As I said above, the symptoms of the ARS are co-existant.  Further 3 days is sooner than the ARS would logically occur.  EWH

[goodnight7]

Ok.  Last item.  The time frame.  3 days after exposure for diareah and swollen throat at day 20.  Would those two classify as ars symptoms that spread apart?  Is day 3 too soon for stomach issues and too wide of a gap between those two?

Thank you for your time.  The two of you do a great service to the community.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. The ARS is defined by the coexistence of high fever, sore throat, muscle or joint aches and sometimes loose stools are a generalized rash.  There also may be widespread lymph node swelling.  Your symptoms do not fit the bill.  Further, when persons have classic ARS symptoms, less than 1% of these people turn out to have HIV- the reminder have the flu or the sorts of viral illnesses that most people get from time to time (and which are more common in travelers).

In your specific situation, you do not know that your partner had HIV and the fact is that most commercial sex workers do not. Further, condom protected sex is safe sex and there are no cases in which HIV has been shown to be associated with receipt of unprotected oral sex.

The chance that your current symptoms are the ARS are essentially zero.  I see no medical reason for testing related to the events you describe.

I hope my comments are helpful. EWH