HIV Risk

[Concerned25m]

Dr-
Three weeks ago I made a poor decision and had sex with a woman I barely knew.  Through this encounter we had vaginal sex twice, both times I wore a condom, and I also received unprotected oral sex for less than a minute.  Since this experience I have noticed the following:

1.)  The next day I had a small rash on each of my hips with about 5-10 tiny red dots.  These did not itch and went away in about a day.  The inner portion of my groin's skin was also red.  

2.)  My testicles were swollen during the first week after this encounter.

3.)  My throat hasn't been sore, yet I find that it is difficult to swallow.  

4.)  My neck and right groin area has been sore.

5.)  I have a rash on my chest about the size of a silver dollar with several red bumps.  The bumps appear to have pus in them.  They appeared a day ago and the redness around them has subsided.  

6.)  I have seen no visible change in my penis and have not felt any discomfort in urinating.

I have not had a fever and am very concerned about my risk for HIV.  I don't expect a diagnosis of any kind here but would like to know what my risk for HIV is as well as what could be causing such a rash?  If she had herpes how does that increase the risk?  I plan on getting tested asap as I will be around the 23 day mark.  At what point is a HIV test considered conclusive, granted the individual does not participate in sex since their last episode?  
Thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Please search the active threads and the archives for discussions about the very low risk of acquring HIV from any single episode of vaginal sex, even if the woman is infected, which she probably wasn't.  Also, neither HIV nor any other STD can cause symptoms that come on as quickly as you describe.  Finally, your symptoms do not suggest HIV or other STD anyway.  I cannot speculate as to what the actual cause of your symptoms might be.

Bottom line:  Whatever is going on is only coincidental with the sexual encounter you describe (except that the swallowing symptom and neck/groin soreness might reflect anxiety over the event).  You do not need STD or HIV testing, except to the extent the negative results will help relieve your anxiety.  But if you do it anyway, a 23 day test is too soon; wait until ~6 weeks after exposure.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[Willl]

I don't know about other STD's, but as far as an HIV exposure from the instances you describe, it is not there. You had protected sex (assume no condom rupture) and briefly received oral, so what. You can look through previous posts and you can generally find the answers to the questions you have.

[Willl]

I know you have posted many times on the risk of an unprotected episode of sex with a woman known to be infected, but how would you figure in the risk if a condom were thought to be used appropriately? In the response regarding he look up the risk, are you assuming that the condom may have failed and he did not realize it? Sorry if I have misinterpreted.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Thanks for point out the condom use.  I just misread the question and missed the fact that the exposure was protected.  Of course that drops whatever small risk there was to zero, for practical purposes.

Concerned25m:  Repeat after me: "I was not and could not have been infected with HIV during my sexual exposure 3 weeks ago.  My symptoms are not due to HIV or any other STD, and I do not need HIV/STD testing."  Now go to the mirror, look yourself in the eye, and repeat it out loud 10 times.

HHH, MD