had sex with a prostitute and the condom broke

[foolishlydrunk]

I just wanted to get an idea about how much risk I was at for infection.

I went to a brothel and during sex the condom broke.  However I was extremely drunk (yes, a foolish way to be, and a foolish thing to do) and I am not sure how long I was inside of her after it broke.  However she just put another one on me and we continued.

[Ann]

FD,

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. I've yet to see the insertive partner (that's you) end up positive over a condom break and I don't expect you to be the first. You're much more likely to end up with one of the other, more easily transmitted sexual infections than you are to end up with hiv because of a condom break.

However, you have had a risk and you do need to test. While the testing window period for hiv is three months, a test at six weeks will give you an excellent indication of your hiv status. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being 22 days. A negative result at six weeks must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change.

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse not only with sex workers, but every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence. A correctly used condom rarely breaks.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

I don't expect you to test positive, but you do need to test.

Ann

[foolishlydrunk]

Ann,

Thank you for the prompt response!  I do already get tested annually and I'll have to keep an eye out for symptoms of any other STI's.

One more question.  How long should I wait before getting tested for anything besides HIV?

[Ann]

FD,

Most other STIs can be tested for at around two weeks following the incident of unprotected intercourse, or sooner if there are symptoms present. You need to know that not all people will have ANY symptoms of other STIs even when they have one or more. Chlamydia is a notorious one - up to around 70% will have no symptoms of chlamydia infection. You should get a full STI panel done regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. Syphilis shares a three month window period with hiv for a conclusive result.

Ann

[foolishlydrunk]

I was doing some more research, and I found that having other STI's increases your risk of contracting HIV.  That said, I was curious about two things-

1.  I'm aware that already having an STI increases the risk, but what about contracting another STI at the same time as potentially being exposed to HIV?  Does this also have the same effect?

2.  I have oral Herpes.  Is that among the infections that can increase the likelyhood?

I know that I can't pointlessly worry about it, and I won't.  I just have to wait until the appropriate time to get tested.  It's just good to know.

[Ann]

FD,

1. NO.

2. NO. It's only going to be a problem if you engage in giving oral sex while you have a blister present. But as that will give the other person herpes on their genitals, you're not going to be doing that, are you. Well, you better not, because it's not a very nice thing to do to someone. You shouldn't be putting your mouth/lips on ANY part of another person's body while you have an active herpes outbreak.

Ann

[foolishlydrunk]

I never would.  In fact, I was afraid to give oral sex even without an outbreak.  I was told that it can still be transmitted in some cases.

Thanks for answering my questions though!

[Ann]

FD,

Having genital herpes may increase the risk during unprotected intercourse when there is no outbreak, but I can't see it being the same with oral herpes. Oral herpes occurs on the outside of the body but successful hiv transmission occurs INSIDE the body during unprotected intercourse. If the area where genital herpes outbreaks occur is on a part that is inside (such as on the penis or inside the vagina or anus) during intercourse, then it may add an increased risk to unprotected intercourse.

Getting a blowjob is not a risk for hiv infection. Neither is going down on a woman. Giving a blowjob is only theoretically a risk. Kissing is also not a risk, regardless of oral herpes. Stop worrying about your oral herpes in relation to hiv. And btw, I'm glad to hear you keep your herpes to yourself.

Ann