HIV scare - Semen in eye

[cade23]

Dear Dr.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. My recent experience has my anxiety levels racing. Here is the scenario. I recently met with a transexual csw. I asked him/her directly if she was hiv + which she clearly denied and said she was clean (for whatever that is worth). In our engagement there was no intercourse at all, only brief unprotected oral sex. When the csw was ejaculating a bit of semen hit me directly in my eye. Obviously, this was disturbing and I went direct to the sink and washed it out. There is some irritation, as one might expect, but I am sure you can guess what my real concern is.

1. What is the likelihood that I have caught anything i.e. HIV from this encounter. The concern is if this person lied and is HIV + what is my real risk?
2. What is the appropriate time frame to begin going and being tested to make sure I am free and clear?

I admit I am freaking out and am very disappointed in myself. It is very regrettable but it is what it is and I have to take responsibility for my actions.

Thanks for your response in advance.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Testing is a personal choice.  Personally, I would not be worried and probably would not specifically seek testing related to this event.  EWH

[cade23]

Just a quick followup, is it in your opinion that testing be done due to this incident? It seems that there is obviously a chance that something may have taken place due to the two lab examples you reference? Do you consider those an anomaly? Thanks again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to the Forum.  Overall the risk for infection from this exposure is quite low.  You did a good thing to ask your partner and, based on her response, it is unlikely that she was infected.  Most people do tell the truth when asked.  further, while there is a theoretical risk for becoming infection as the result of introduction of infected material into your eye, this is most unlikely as well. The blink reflex is among the most rapid reflexes in the human body and goes a long way towards preventing infection, acting to rapidly remove foreign material from the eye.  I am not aware of anyone who has become infected through a splash of the sort you describe although there have been one or two infections which have occurred in laboratories following splashes of very high concentrations of virus.  

1. What is the likelihood that I have caught anything i.e. HIV from this encounter. The concern is if this person lied and is HIV + what is my real risk?
See above.  Quite low.  

2. What is the appropriate time frame to begin going and being tested to make sure I am free and clear?
If you chose to test I would follow the same recommendations as we follow for genital infections.  If you have access to a DUO-type test your test results would be definitive at 4 weeks after the exposure while with a standard, laboratory-based lab test for HIV antibodies, results would not be definitive until 8 weeks following exposure.

I would not worry a lot about this possible exposure. EWH