Can HIV Be Contracted Through Sexual Intercourse?

Posted on Fri, 9 Jan 2015

Question: Hello Dr
I have visited a csw in Amsterdam and had protected sex however a few days before the incident i have shaved my pubic hair and had a few cuts on the penis base. Is there a chance of hiv transmit from a 4 day tiny cut on the top of the penis bas if it touches her vigina. I also suffer from anxiety i can't sleep more than 2-3 hours a night and wake up worried is night sweats linked to anxiety and stress. Could you also tell me if this is a bruise or a rash .

Sry i also forgot to mention that i feel some pain in it. And does lack of sleep and pain cause body pain? I have put some voltareen gel and i feel tag it has started healing sorry doctor anxiety and stress are causing me a lot of health problems .

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Contracting AIDS would be very unlikely

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

being cut 4 days ago means that (unless you've done a really deep cut that required stitching) the wound has healed. The most efficient way to transmit HIV is with blood to blood contact and this is not so easy. It usually requires a deep cut and injecting contaminated material into the wound. Even then the transmission rate is not very high.
Please also remember that although unlikely, even protected intercourse with a HIV positive patient may result in transmission of HIV to you.
In conclusion, although there's always a very very slight chance of having contracted HIV, and no doctor can be 100% certain, you shouldn't worry because that kind of potential exposure carries an extremely low risk.
Anxiety causes a lot of problems to those who suffer from it.
If anxiety disturbs your everyday activities or sleep, you should seek medical help from your primary care provider or a psychiatrist.
The picture you've provided seems like a mild erythema which means reddening of the skin. I cannot see anything more than that. Reddening of the skin may have a lot of causes. Dermatitis due to various reasons usually causes it.
I hope I've alleviated your concerns about HIV!
If you'd like further information, please let me know.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (2 hours later)

Dear doctor so the picture i uploade is no a symptom of hiv?

Thank you ver much for your help and support

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I don't believe it's the HIV

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

HIV infection may present as a protracted mononucleosis like disease with enlarged lymph nodes etc. Other presentations are possible but this is the most common one.
I don't believe this erythema could be attribute to HIV as a sole manifestation of disease, at least not with certainty. This kind of symptom has a broad differential diagnosis. Did you have any symptoms associated with it? Itching, pain etc?
If you're so anxious about it you should test your blood for HIV. Testing right after the event and 6 months later will help you exclude infection.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (1 hour later)

I don't feel anything it feels a bit like a bruise i think i hit the door while leaving my flat .when i press on it i feel pain. I have tested for hiv and results will come out tomorrow.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
A bruise probably

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

if you've hit the door then this is it! It's good that you've done the HIV test. Just remember to repeat the test 6 months later to be 100% sure.
I'm sure the test will be negative tommorow and in 6 months!

I hope I've helped you to remain calm while waiting for the results!

Kind Regards!

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj