| Ask GMHC
I think I could have been infected with HIV [from oral sex] about
two weeks ago.
Question
Hi,
I think I could have been infected with HIV about 2 weeks ago.
Here is why:
- I had oral sex without a condom (I think it's a low risk activity)
but I did have some cuts
- I don't know my partner's HIV status (and we don't have contact).
- I recently started having some flu-like symptoms.
Is there something that I should know or can do at this point
? I'm pretty concerned. I would appreciate any info you can give
me.
Answer
Hello,
Your email mentioned a concern about having had oral sex recently.
You didn't mention if you were performing oral sex on a man or
a woman, or if someone was performing it on you. You also mentioned
having cuts, but I'm not sure where (in the mouth or on your genitals).
I'm not sure how much you know about HIV transmission, so a brief
review:
In general, performing oral sex is a much harder way to become
infected. How much contact your have with your partner's body fluids,
like semen or vaginal fluids, and the health of your mouth can
affect your degree of exposure. When a partner performs oral sex
on you, you would most likely be only having contact with his or
her saliva, and saliva cannot pass on HIV.
Your email mentioned that you don't know what your partner's HIV
status is, and that you are concerned about some recent flu-like
symptoms. What do you think would be helpful in dealing with these
anxieties? The option of HIV testing comes to mind, so the window
period is a consideration. That's the time it takes for a person
to show up as positive after infection. With the sensitivity of
the HIV test, most people who become infected will show up within
four weeks after infection. A small minority will take up to three
months.
There's a lot going on for you and a lot to consider. What kind
of support do you have? It can help to talk about the situation
and your feelings, including how comfortable you are about the
sex that you are having. Our Hotline is available if you want to
talk to someone or if you need additional information. Feel free
to give us a call at 800-243-7692.
Good luck,
The GMHC Hotline
Questions or concerns? Email us at hotline@gmhc.org.
For more information, visit our Hotline.
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