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Mutual masturbation/ Oral Sex - HIV risks
Hi Doctors -
I am a 25 year old straight curious male. I was recently at the bar with a few of my friends and I ended up going home with one of my friends guy friend for movies...
We gave each other a blowjob, using condoms and once done removed the condoms and started mutually masturbating each other. Finally both of us ejaculated on ourselves.. We did NOT have any other form of insertive or anal sex. While cleaning up, i accidentally touched his semen with my fingers, a lot of it, and it was 5-8 mins before i was able to wash it up/ clean it..
It had been about 5 days and my symptoms started with stomach pain and nausea, with a mild fever (around 98.5), general feeling of tiredness, lack of appetite, headache, itchy skin..... NO diahorrea or any other symptoms. Its been another 4 days and I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a tingling feeling below my molar teeth, on my jaw. ELISA test came back negative.
I do not have any other symptoms, and the nausea is almost gone but i now a have sore throat, mild headache and tingling feeling under jaw and at back of neck, that remains.
In light of the above, I have a few questions....
1) What are the chances of contracting HIV, the way i described above? What are the chances of contracting HIV via Oral sex (blowjob/ fingering my girlfriend)? If a condom is used while performing Oral, does it reduce the chances of HIV transmission?
2) With the symptoms that I described above, is there any chance that I have contracted HIV? Do these symptoms sound like acute HIV infection?
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route?
4) Ive heard RNA/PCR tests are more accurate when it comes to HIV infection detection. Is this true? If so what is the window/wait period before these tests detect positive results?
5) Lastly, do the acute HIV infection symtpoms occur all at once, or do they occur one after the other in rapid succession??
Thanks you!
I am a 25 year old straight curious male. I was recently at the bar with a few of my friends and I ended up going home with one of my friends guy friend for movies...
We gave each other a blowjob, using condoms and once done removed the condoms and started mutually masturbating each other. Finally both of us ejaculated on ourselves.. We did NOT have any other form of insertive or anal sex. While cleaning up, i accidentally touched his semen with my fingers, a lot of it, and it was 5-8 mins before i was able to wash it up/ clean it..
It had been about 5 days and my symptoms started with stomach pain and nausea, with a mild fever (around 98.5), general feeling of tiredness, lack of appetite, headache, itchy skin..... NO diahorrea or any other symptoms. Its been another 4 days and I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a tingling feeling below my molar teeth, on my jaw. ELISA test came back negative.
I do not have any other symptoms, and the nausea is almost gone but i now a have sore throat, mild headache and tingling feeling under jaw and at back of neck, that remains.
In light of the above, I have a few questions....
1) What are the chances of contracting HIV, the way i described above? What are the chances of contracting HIV via Oral sex (blowjob/ fingering my girlfriend)? If a condom is used while performing Oral, does it reduce the chances of HIV transmission?
2) With the symptoms that I described above, is there any chance that I have contracted HIV? Do these symptoms sound like acute HIV infection?
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route?
4) Ive heard RNA/PCR tests are more accurate when it comes to HIV infection detection. Is this true? If so what is the window/wait period before these tests detect positive results?
5) Lastly, do the acute HIV infection symtpoms occur all at once, or do they occur one after the other in rapid succession??
Thanks you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. I'll go straight to your questions to address your specific questions. The bottom line however is that this was a no risk exposure.
1. HIV is spread with insertive genital or ano-genital intercourse. It is not spread by oral sex, though hand contact or through mutual masturbation even though it is typical for persons engaged in mutual masturbation to get each other's genital secretions on one another. Properly use condoms prevent HIV transmission, transforming what might be a risky exposure into no risk.
2. The symptoms of the early HIV infection (the "acute retroviral syndrome - ARS) are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In contrast, over a given year, there is almost no one who has not had a viral illness, night sweats or both (sometimes on multiple occasions). In addition, it is also important to realize that many persons who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time.
3. No, contact of the fingers or, for that matter, most other skin surfaces with HIV infected secretions or blood is associated with miniscule if any risk for HIV. The reason for this is that this sort of skin is thick an therefore relatively impermeable to the virus.
4. You do not need HIV PCR related to the exposure you describe. In fact in my opinion, you do not need testing at all. In general we do not recommend HIV PCR testing for diagnosis is HIV infection for several reasons. While the PCR is likely to become positive more quickly than other antibody detection tests (i.e. usual blood tests), at the present time the blood tests are becoming more and more sensitive and detecting infection earlier and earlier so that the time difference in detection between PCR test and antibody detection tests is becoming smaller and smaller and at present is, in general only a week or two. In addition the time course over which the PCR tests become positive is less well described than for the blood tests and, as a result, it is difficult to make a definitive statement on what a negative PCR test means at any time within a few weeks of exposure to a HIV infected or possibly infected partner. PCR tests are also more expensive than regular antibody tests. Finally and most importantly, the false positive rate for PCR tests (i.e. a positive result in persons who do not have HIV) is higher than for blood tests. Each of this on this Forum have seen a number of people who were worried needlessly because of false positive tests. For all of these reasons, we rarely recommend testing for HIV diagnosis using PCR.
5. The symptoms of the ARS typically all occur at once and are present at the same time.
AS I said above, the activities you describe did not put you at risk for HIV. I hope my comment is helpful to you. EWH
1. HIV is spread with insertive genital or ano-genital intercourse. It is not spread by oral sex, though hand contact or through mutual masturbation even though it is typical for persons engaged in mutual masturbation to get each other's genital secretions on one another. Properly use condoms prevent HIV transmission, transforming what might be a risky exposure into no risk.
2. The symptoms of the early HIV infection (the "acute retroviral syndrome - ARS) are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In contrast, over a given year, there is almost no one who has not had a viral illness, night sweats or both (sometimes on multiple occasions). In addition, it is also important to realize that many persons who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time.
3. No, contact of the fingers or, for that matter, most other skin surfaces with HIV infected secretions or blood is associated with miniscule if any risk for HIV. The reason for this is that this sort of skin is thick an therefore relatively impermeable to the virus.
4. You do not need HIV PCR related to the exposure you describe. In fact in my opinion, you do not need testing at all. In general we do not recommend HIV PCR testing for diagnosis is HIV infection for several reasons. While the PCR is likely to become positive more quickly than other antibody detection tests (i.e. usual blood tests), at the present time the blood tests are becoming more and more sensitive and detecting infection earlier and earlier so that the time difference in detection between PCR test and antibody detection tests is becoming smaller and smaller and at present is, in general only a week or two. In addition the time course over which the PCR tests become positive is less well described than for the blood tests and, as a result, it is difficult to make a definitive statement on what a negative PCR test means at any time within a few weeks of exposure to a HIV infected or possibly infected partner. PCR tests are also more expensive than regular antibody tests. Finally and most importantly, the false positive rate for PCR tests (i.e. a positive result in persons who do not have HIV) is higher than for blood tests. Each of this on this Forum have seen a number of people who were worried needlessly because of false positive tests. For all of these reasons, we rarely recommend testing for HIV diagnosis using PCR.
5. The symptoms of the ARS typically all occur at once and are present at the same time.
AS I said above, the activities you describe did not put you at risk for HIV. I hope my comment is helpful to you. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Indeed, this will be my last answer, starting with what I have alreay, apparently unsuccessfully trie to tell you- there was NO RISK for HIV from the activities you escribe. Testing, except for your peace of mind, is a waste of time and money.
It appears you have been spending time on the internet in efforts to learn more abut testing. Your situation, like that of many of our clients represents a great example of the power of the internet not only to inform but also to mislead. While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong. The people who sell PCR tests provide testimonials designed to support their business. We don't sell PCR tests. You can (re)read our feelings, based on the sceintific literature, about PCR above.
If your symptoms awere/are due to the ARS, your PCR would be positive. The ARS however does not start 5 days following exposure. Your symptoms are not suggestive of the ARS and if you choose to get a PCR test, your results will be negative, unless of course you are one of those who gets a false postive test which fortunately is rare..
I've given you the best information and advice I can. This ends this thread. EWH
It appears you have been spending time on the internet in efforts to learn more abut testing. Your situation, like that of many of our clients represents a great example of the power of the internet not only to inform but also to mislead. While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong. The people who sell PCR tests provide testimonials designed to support their business. We don't sell PCR tests. You can (re)read our feelings, based on the sceintific literature, about PCR above.
If your symptoms awere/are due to the ARS, your PCR would be positive. The ARS however does not start 5 days following exposure. Your symptoms are not suggestive of the ARS and if you choose to get a PCR test, your results will be negative, unless of course you are one of those who gets a false postive test which fortunately is rare..
I've given you the best information and advice I can. This ends this thread. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yes, RNA testing is a PCR test. Take care. EWH
Rephrasing Question 3 above -
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers/skin if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route? Or If through oral/saliva route by sucking nipples?
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers/skin if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route? Or If through oral/saliva route by sucking nipples?
Thank You!
Thank you Doctor! This is the last one I promise, on this thread! If you could help closing this thread with with your expertise, it would help reduce my anxiety!
My "symptoms" started 5 days after exposure. I heard the RNA/PCR tests have a window period of 1-2 weeks. Is it possible for the RNA/PCR test to come back negative 5 days after exposure at the same time having ARS symptoms?
Putting it a different way, if the ARS symptoms start in an individual lets say 5 days after exposure, does that mean the RNA/PCR has to come back positive as long as the symptoms are there? Or does the window period mean, the RNA/PCR test will come back negative for a week or two regardless of the patient having ARS symptoms or not.
Please advise - thanks.
My "symptoms" started 5 days after exposure. I heard the RNA/PCR tests have a window period of 1-2 weeks. Is it possible for the RNA/PCR test to come back negative 5 days after exposure at the same time having ARS symptoms?
Putting it a different way, if the ARS symptoms start in an individual lets say 5 days after exposure, does that mean the RNA/PCR has to come back positive as long as the symptoms are there? Or does the window period mean, the RNA/PCR test will come back negative for a week or two regardless of the patient having ARS symptoms or not.
Please advise - thanks.
Thank you doctor. One last question. Is RNA test and PCR test the samething?
Rephrasing Question 3 above -
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers/skin if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route? Or If through oral/saliva route by sucking ****?
3) Can HIV be transmitted via fingers/skin if it comes in contact with HIV+ve semen/blood is it a possible route? Or If through oral/saliva route by sucking ****?
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