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MYTH: ‘Fingering’ or Mutual Masturbation Can Spread HIV
Dear Doctors,
On the Medhelp website, we can read the following sentence:
MYTH: ‘Fingering’ or Mutual Masturbation Can Spread HIV
Hand-genital contact has never been known to transmit HIV, even when genital secretions or saliva are used for lubrication. Similarly, insertion of fingers into body cavities, such as the vagina or rectum, (called ‘fingering’) during sex has never been known to transmit HIV, regardless of whether or not an HIV-infected person has cuts or scratches on his or her fingers.
http://www.medhelp.org/aids-hiv/slideshows/14-Myths-About-HIV/366/9
Some of the experts on Medhelp seem to have such an opinion, but not all of them. So my question is: is this affirmation definitely 100% accepted by the medical professionnals, in particular regarding the use of genital secretions for lubrification during mutual masturbation?
Many thanks!
Jack
On the Medhelp website, we can read the following sentence:
MYTH: ‘Fingering’ or Mutual Masturbation Can Spread HIV
Hand-genital contact has never been known to transmit HIV, even when genital secretions or saliva are used for lubrication. Similarly, insertion of fingers into body cavities, such as the vagina or rectum, (called ‘fingering’) during sex has never been known to transmit HIV, regardless of whether or not an HIV-infected person has cuts or scratches on his or her fingers.
http://www.medhelp.org/aids-hiv/slideshows/14-Myths-About-HIV/366/9
Some of the experts on Medhelp seem to have such an opinion, but not all of them. So my question is: is this affirmation definitely 100% accepted by the medical professionnals, in particular regarding the use of genital secretions for lubrification during mutual masturbation?
Many thanks!
Jack
Thank you Howard. But just a remark: the slides are NOT on a forum page, and their are used as a real prevention tool directly by MedHelp. And secondly, they talk about "myth" which is a very strong word. They do not say "unlikely" they say " just totally invented story". If is why I wondered about a doctor s opinion...
All the very best,
Jack
All the very best,
Jack
The slides and statements in that link are provided to MedHelp as an educational service, but I'm pretty sure MedHelp doesn't have formal positions on issues like this. The opinions on the forums are strictly those of the persons posting them, not MedHelp itself.
I remember one of the experts on the HIV expert forum writing that even in the busiest AIDS clinics, nobody has had any patients who said their only possible exposure was fingering, mutual masturbation, etc. Most if not all HIV/AIDS experts probably would agree that HIV transmission occurs rarely if ever by such exposures. Could there have been a transmission at one time or another by such contact? Maybe -- who knows? But if so, it's obviously rare enough to be ignored.
I remember one of the experts on the HIV expert forum writing that even in the busiest AIDS clinics, nobody has had any patients who said their only possible exposure was fingering, mutual masturbation, etc. Most if not all HIV/AIDS experts probably would agree that HIV transmission occurs rarely if ever by such exposures. Could there have been a transmission at one time or another by such contact? Maybe -- who knows? But if so, it's obviously rare enough to be ignored.
This is the blurb that follows in your link:
Hand-genital contact has never been known to transmit HIV, even when genital secretions or saliva are used for lubrication. Similarly, insertion of fingers into body cavities, such as the vagina or rectum, (called ‘fingering’) during sex has never been known to transmit HIV, regardless of whether or not an HIV-infected person has cuts or scratches on his or her fingers.
It's listed as a "myth", meaning it's a common misconception among laypeople. Fingering or mutual masturbation is NOT an HIV risk.
Hand-genital contact has never been known to transmit HIV, even when genital secretions or saliva are used for lubrication. Similarly, insertion of fingers into body cavities, such as the vagina or rectum, (called ‘fingering’) during sex has never been known to transmit HIV, regardless of whether or not an HIV-infected person has cuts or scratches on his or her fingers.
It's listed as a "myth", meaning it's a common misconception among laypeople. Fingering or mutual masturbation is NOT an HIV risk.
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