POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: kingdom13 on July 11, 2013, 10:37:39 am
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Hello! I am writing because I had a possible exposure occur a little over 5 1/2 months ago. I was interviewing a clt with full blown AIDS/HEP C/possibly HEP B and while he was talking, I could feel a little bit of fluid land on my gum above my right front tooth. I didn't think anything of it at the time, knowing that saliva alone cannot transmit HIV. It is safe to say that I probably smeared it across my gums and/or swallowed whatever it was. However, it was only when I got out to the car 20-30 mins later that I realized that it could have had blood in it (particularly because the clt had oral thrush). I rinsed my mouth out briefly with soda and went about my day. I didn't report it to anyone or get PEP because at the time, I wasn't worried about it and didn't think that anyone would have given me PEP for that exposure anyhow. Now that I have read about possible infection through mucous membranes, I am concerned. I had no open cuts/sores in my mouth at the time (that I was aware of) and had not brushed my teeth since the morning (I had not flossed since the night before). I may have eaten recently (I can't remember), but it would have been nothing very abrasive. Also, this clt could have had a high viral load because he had just recently (within a week or so) resumed treatment. I took an oraquick swab test at 5 1/2 months. Is this conclusive or would the possibility of triple infection cause delayed seroconversion? I have read that co-infection (I couldn't find anything much on triple infection) can cause someone to have to test out to a year. I have not had a Hep test yet. If I had all three, wouldn't I be noticeably sick by now? I have much by way of symptoms. I haven't even been sick since this all happened. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated. If I am being ridiculous, please let me know. Thank you!
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Kingdom,
There is absolutely NO WAY ON EARTH that you would be infected with ANY of the viruses you're fretting about by getting a little spittle in your face while talking to someone. You wouldn't even get them through kissing.
And forget about blood in the person's mouth. Unless you're in the habit of repeatedly punching a person in the mouth before you interview (or kiss or get a blowjob from) them, then there could not possibly be enough blood present to cause the slightest concern.
You really need to get up to speed on hiv transmission. I suggest you start by reading the lessons linked to in the Welcome thread at the top of the Am I Infected forum index - you should have read that before posting anyway.
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 BE TESTED FOR ANYTHING OVER GETTING SPIT ON YOU DURING A CONVERSATION , 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. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann
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Ann,
Thank you very much for your prompt and honest reply. I really appreciate it. I find that with my OCD sometimes I need to be told that something I am thinking is irrational and it helps me to let it go. I am definitely going to try to learn more about real methods of HIV transmission. I'm sorry that I brought up the mucous membrane exposure, I find it is difficult to get straightforward answers about mucous membrane transmission via CDC and other sources. Is a mucous membrane exposure considered a theoretical risk and not an actual one? For the future, is seroconversion delay a real thing? I can't seem to find an answer. It seems like the body would be capable of responding to multiple infections at the same time, but some sources seem to believe that if you get acute Hep C/Hep B in the meantime, then you must test out to 6 months-1 year to account for delayed seroconversion. One more quick thing (I'm pretty sure I know the answer :) ) . You would never recommend something like this be brought up to one's employer for PEP evaluation, correct? It would have seemed crazy, I think, but I figured I would ask. Thank you very, very much. I appreciate your time.
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Hello again. Can someone please answer my questions about delayed seroconversion? I realize that my event was not a real risk now, but I am still generally curious about whether or not delayed seroconversion is an actual occurrence when a simultaneous infection of Hep C and/or Hep B and HIV occurs. Would there ever be a circumstance where an individual would need to test out to a year? Perhaps if they develop an acute Hep C infection from the exposure? Or would a further test (beyond 3 months) only be indicated of someone got clearly/visibly sick with Hep C? Thank you all for your time. I sincerely appreciate it. I'm trying to get all my information straight so I don't have something like this come up in the future.
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Kingdom,
The only recorded cases of delayed seroconversion in the case of simultaneous coinfection with hiv and hepatitis have occurred in injecting drug users who were in poor health to begin with due to long-standing, chronic injecting drug use. (ie injecting street drugs daily for years)
This is something you do NOT need to concern yourself with, unless you are an injecting drug user who shares drug injecting equipment. You do NOT need to worry about it just because you got some spit in your face.
You have NOT had a risk for hiv, nor have you had a risk for coinfection.
You may have had a risk for a flu virus, the common cold, or TB, but you'll have to see a doctor about those concerns. We cannot help you with any of that here.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!!!
Ann
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Hi Anne,
Thank you for your consistently prompt replies. I really appreciate all of the information you have provided me with. If I am understanding correctly, even if there was a bit of blood (or if the speck was all blood), it still wouldn't be enough of a risk to concern oneself with? What about microscopic cuts in the mouth/high viral load. Does that change anything? About the delayed seroconversion, that's very interesting information, I couldn't find that anywhere. Everything I read just cited the case of delayed seroconversion in a healthcare worker. So I am understanding that a 5 1/2 month negative is definitely negative and conclusive? What if someone were to come up with a case of acute hep c in the meantime, would they need to test for HIV out to a year? Also, I had a routine blood test at 13 weeks post exposure and the ALT/AST's were low normal. Does this indicate that one is not in the acute phase of Hep C? I have read that during the acute phase the liver enzymes are very high. Is this correct? Also, how long do they stay elevated for before they begin to come down in the chronic stage? Thank you again for all of your help, I haven't been able to find such concise information anywhere else.
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I urge you to reread your thread.
Were "microscopic cuts" an entry point for HIV, then the government would have shuttered strip clubs in the 1980s - and a significant portion of the world would be infected. You keep going on about delayed seroconversion as though you haven't even read Ann's thoughtful reply to you on that very topic.
A three month result is conclusive. Not a six month, not a five and a half month, three. Three. You are absolutely NOT a condidate for delayed seroconversion. There are NO protocols that require testing out to a year.
You have NOT had a risk. You have NOT had a risk.
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Thank you for responding. I appreciate your insight about microscopic cuts. I had heard that HIV/Hep C could permeate mucous membranes without visible cuts/abrasions especially when someone has a high viral load and that's why I was concerned. I also read this thread and it scared me:
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Q193112.html
Could you please explain that to me? I don't think that I understand. Does it mean that one should be tested in the event that they become visibly sick with Acute Hep C or is this just an opinion/potential hospital protocol? Also (an opinion question), would this event have been something that I should have reported to my supervisor and gotten some kind of an official risk assessment for PEP (It happened at work) for or is that ridiculous? I have heard some people say to report everything and other say it is overkill. Any insight you have is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Sexual health check ups usually involve testing for ALL STD's , many times people with HIV are co-infected with HEP C and or HEP B . Its routine for doctors to test for all stds when a person test positive for HIV for this reason alone .
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Kingdom,
You got some spit in your face. Big deal. It wasn't a risk for hiv, hep B, or hep C. If you want to worry about an illness that CAN be transmitted this way, go worry about tuberculosis and ask your doctor to test you for that.
We are not a TB website, so we're not going to discuss TB with you.
If you read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.
Please consider yourself warned!
Ann