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STD likeliness?
A male friend of mine recently had a one time sexual encounter with a female. No intercourse happened, but there was mutual oral sex. Both mouth to vagina/rectum, and mouth to penis. What is the likelihood of an STD being contracted in this case? More concerned with gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis.
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Giving oral sex to a vagina is very low risk. There is a slight chance of getting oral gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, but the chances are really low.
Receiving oral sex is a risk for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and genital herpes type 1 (if your friend doesn't already have oral herpes type 1).
There is no risk for HIV.
Your friend can test for gonorrhea and chlamydia at 5 days (oral needs an oral swab, and he should ask for that specifically), and syphilis at 6 weeks. Syphilis is uncommon in most developed countries. If he's in the US, the UK, Canada, most European countries, etc., I wouldn't worry much about this.
Your friend can get a test for herpes type 1 with a type specific IgG blood test at 12 weeks, but unless he gets sores, I wouldn't bother. The test misses 30% of infections, hsv1 is incredibly common and he might have it orally already - 67% of people under 50 globally do - so if he gets sores, he can go to the doctor and get those tested within 24-48 hrs.
Herpes sores usually appear within 2-12 days. A syphilis sore usually appears between 10-90 days, but the average is 3 weeks.
Don't get freaked out about all this - the chances are really low. I'm just giving you info. Most experts don't think a single act of oral sex requires testing.
Receiving oral sex is a risk for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and genital herpes type 1 (if your friend doesn't already have oral herpes type 1).
There is no risk for HIV.
Your friend can test for gonorrhea and chlamydia at 5 days (oral needs an oral swab, and he should ask for that specifically), and syphilis at 6 weeks. Syphilis is uncommon in most developed countries. If he's in the US, the UK, Canada, most European countries, etc., I wouldn't worry much about this.
Your friend can get a test for herpes type 1 with a type specific IgG blood test at 12 weeks, but unless he gets sores, I wouldn't bother. The test misses 30% of infections, hsv1 is incredibly common and he might have it orally already - 67% of people under 50 globally do - so if he gets sores, he can go to the doctor and get those tested within 24-48 hrs.
Herpes sores usually appear within 2-12 days. A syphilis sore usually appears between 10-90 days, but the average is 3 weeks.
Don't get freaked out about all this - the chances are really low. I'm just giving you info. Most experts don't think a single act of oral sex requires testing.
4 Comments
Thank you! I think the biggest concern was G/C/S. How soon after exposure can you be treated? If you are exposed one day, can you be treated 2-7 days later, without a test? I’m wondering if it’s possible to clear an infection if you’re treated early on rather than later.
You can clear any of those infections regardless of when you treat them. They are all easily cured with antibiotics.
You shouldn't treat unless you know for sure you have them. Taking antibiotics that you might not need creates antibiotic resistance, and if you end up with symptoms later, you can't get accurate testing for 3 weeks after taking antibiotics.
Is there some reason for all this anxiety? Is cheating involved? If so, try to remember that guilt doesn't equal risk, and the chances of anything are really low.
I have seen too many people who end up taking the wrong antibiotics, and they end up needing more time to figure out what's happening after. The antibiotics required for gonorrhea and syphilis are shots, so you really shouldn't try to treat those yourself.
You shouldn't treat unless you know for sure you have them. Taking antibiotics that you might not need creates antibiotic resistance, and if you end up with symptoms later, you can't get accurate testing for 3 weeks after taking antibiotics.
Is there some reason for all this anxiety? Is cheating involved? If so, try to remember that guilt doesn't equal risk, and the chances of anything are really low.
I have seen too many people who end up taking the wrong antibiotics, and they end up needing more time to figure out what's happening after. The antibiotics required for gonorrhea and syphilis are shots, so you really shouldn't try to treat those yourself.
@auntiejessie thank you. So if you contract an infection such as G/C/S and you take antibiotics, let’s say 4 days later after exposure, it will still clear the infections?
4 days after is a bit to soon.
But as AJ said, do not take antibiotics unless you get a confirmed test of something. The exposure was really really low risk and after this one off it really is not worth worry about without any symptoms. If you do get symptoms, get a test at that stage but I would be very very surprised!
Anxiety can mimic stuff so just get your friend to relax and think logically over everything AJ and myself said. There really is no need to worry.
But as AJ said, do not take antibiotics unless you get a confirmed test of something. The exposure was really really low risk and after this one off it really is not worth worry about without any symptoms. If you do get symptoms, get a test at that stage but I would be very very surprised!
Anxiety can mimic stuff so just get your friend to relax and think logically over everything AJ and myself said. There really is no need to worry.
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You are reading content posted in the STDs / STIs Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
