curious77:
I have been trying to better educate myself in the ways HIV is and is not transmitted and have been getting some great information from this site but like many others (as I have been reading on this site and a few others) I am finding that maybe it's the lingo being used that is confusing.
Here is my situation. I was recently diagnosed, much to my surprise, with HSV-2 (the cold sores "down there") and it has sent me into a frenzy of assessing my HIV risk from a particular sexual encounter. A month ago, I engaged in heavy kissing and body rubbing with a man (I am female) and we both had our underwear on. I don't recall having any outbreak but have been learning that cuts, abrasions and tears in the skin can be microscopic. Does this mean these tears are microscopic on the inside as well as the outside of the vagina? Perhaps in the area in the crease of the thigh near the pubic hair? His penis and perhaps precum, not sure as both our underwear were wet, rubbed against me on the pubic area very briefly and I can't help but think if he is HIV positive and there were microscopic tears in that area it would be a gate way for transmission? He claims his penis remained inside his boxers, but people say things all the time that may not be true.
I also was touching the shaft of his penis for a short period of time and later realized that I had sliced my index finger open from attempting to open a beer that needs an opener. I do not recall the cut bleeding and he did not ejaculate. I am wondering if pre cum had dripped from his penis to this cut, can trasmission occur? I never touched the head of his penis directly. I do not mean to sound insensitive towards those living with HIV, I have just been finding difficulty deciphering the words being used when talkingabout HIV transmission such as "cannot be transmitted withintact skin" cannot be transmitted during mutual masterbation with intact skin" Herpes roughly doubles your risk of contracting HIV etc. I just wonder what risk category I fall into with the situation I was in. ?
RapidRod:
HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host (unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable conditions), except under laboratory conditions; therefore, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.
Ann:
Curious,
Unprotected anal and/or vaginal intercourse are the only proven sexual risks for hiv infection.
Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies.
Once outside the body, small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect.
The rubbing you describe is commonly called frottage, and frottage is not a risk for hiv infection, even if neither of you had your underwear on.
Nothing you brought to us was a risk and the presence of herpes does not change that fact.
And by the way, PEOPLE are not high or low or no risk, ACTIVITIES are high or low or no risk. It's not WHO you do, it's HOW you do it. Use condoms for intercourse and you won't have to worry about hiv infection.
Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, 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 the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST OVER ANY SPECIFIC THING YOU BRING TO US, 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!
Ann
curious77:
Thank you for your quick response! Your work here on this site much appreciated! God bless!