POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: JP1234 on November 09, 2012, 09:00:52 am
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Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my question.... I took the time to read through your site and I believe this a low risk encounter.
I realize kissing is not a risk - but how about
A Bite. The bite left red marks - but there was no visible blood. The next day the red marks from the bite had disappeared - No scabs or puncture wounds etc.
A scratch. The scratch lifted the top layer of skin - but again no visible blood etc.
Prior to finding your site - I had a great deal of anxiety for a couple months - and of course was on guard for any symptom that might appear.
Thanks again for your time.
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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.
HIV is transmitted by;
Unprotected penetrative anal and/or vaginal sex
Sharing works with other IV drug abusers
Mother to child
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JP,
You have NOT had a risk for hiv infection. Neither mouth-to-skin nor skin-to-skin contact are risks for hiv infection. Successful hiv transmission occurs INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse where the virus never leaves the confines of the human body.
Condom use for anal or vaginal intercourse is all you need to prevent hiv infection. Condoms have been proven to prevent infection. There have been three long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.
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 KISSING, BITING OR SCRATCHING, 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 and Rod
Thank you both for your answers. Greatly appreciated !
JP