Nervous about possible HIV exposure, please help.

[Hyponervous]

Hi, I am a 25 year old female from NY who gets tested once a year for the past 5 yrs. About 41/2 months ago, under the influence of alcohol, I had unprotected vaginal & oral sex with a heterosexual african american male. He was not a stranger, then again i didnt know him too well either. This was a first for me, It was a one night stand and we had intercourse about 3 times in the same night, the first time we used protection the other two times we didn't and I assume he ejaculated inside me. I asked him about his status & he said he was clean. This has been heavy on my mind for months, and i recently noticed small raised, pink, dry, itch-less patches on my torso and breasts i know a rash can be a symptom of HIV. I've been reluctant to get tested due to my severe anxiety, I plan to buy an at home test tomorrow but just to ease my mind, what are my chances of being HIV positive? Thank you in advance!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to hear it. I'm pleased my comments were helpful.  Take care.  EWH

[Hyponervous]

My rapid test came back negative! Thanks for your help!

[Hyponervous]

Thank you so much for your response! I suffer from
Accute anxiety disorder so this reassurance has made me feel much better! I will get tested anyway just to put the situation to rest once and for all! Thanks so much!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The risk of HIV from any single exposure is low- less than 1 infection per 1000-2000 sex acts, if your partner had HIV.  You do not know that your partner had HIV and in fact, he told you he did not.  Few heterosexual men do, less than 1 in 1000.  thus on a mathematical basis your risk for infection is about 1 in a million.  

Most rashes are due to things other than HIV.  Further, rashes of the sort you describe are not a sign of recently acquired HIV.

I urge you not to worry.  If you have concerns, go get tested.  There is nothing to be gained by worrying and not testing.  Testing will relieve your concerns or, in the extremely unlikely situation that you find you have HIV (I am confident you will not), you would then have the information needed to allow yourself to seek care. Not testing if yu have a concern makes no sense.

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH