Can HIV Or ARS Be Contracted Through Protected Sex?

Posted on Thu, 17 Dec 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 17 Dec 2015 Answered on

Tue, 5 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : About 40 days ago I had a hookup with a guy, used a condom. The next day during the afternoon I noticed burning near my waist and noticed that I had hives or welts around my belt line. I'm not allergic to anything like that. It was pretty severe. I developed a sharp burning pain on my upper back too and found hives on random parts of my body. It went away after a week. a week passed and I have random red dots appear on my arm. And they'd go away within the hour. At other times I get a small hive and it doesn't itch, it just appears and it'll go away. No other symptoms besides headaches and dry eye/mouth although I think maybe that's just stress. I've heard that ARS symptoms don't appear until 2-3 weeks, and I can't think of any other STD, if it is that, that could cause these symptoms. The red spots still come and go. Any clarification could help.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (41 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Urticaria; once daily tablet cetrizine for a week or 10 days

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us

I have gone through your query and I have also reviewed the Images. Yes, the rash does seem like hives Or urticaria.
I don't think this has anything to do with ARS (Acute Retroviral Syndrome) or risk of Hiv Or an STD(s). A condom protected sex is considered to be safe as far as risk of Hiv is concerned, provided the condom was intact.
Nevertheless, you must still test for Hiv as part of a protocol screening after a risky sexual contact. I suggest a 4 th generation Hiv screening test which can be taken anytime after 2 weeks of a risky sexual encounter.
Regarding ARS, although it can appear at anytime after the first week of infection, it usually manifests after 2-3 weeks of infection.
Urticaria Or hives can happen due to a plethora of causes, commonly to a food allergen; a Common viral infection e.g flu or common cold or viral gastroenteritis; certain drugs like pain killers, antibiotics etc; alcohol intake etc. In about half of the cases there may not be an identifiable cause for urticaria.
If I was the treating doctor I would treat you symptomatically with an Oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine 10 mg tablet once daily in evening, for a week or 10 days.
Topically you may use a soothing anti-itch lotion to calm down the rashes.

Regards

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

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (12 minutes later)

Thanks for that. Another question. Is it common for it to come and go so quickly like that? I notice sometimes I'll get hives on my feet near the lining of my socks, and they'll go away. On other times ill notice a rash like in the first picture, that will stay there for days. Is it still urticaria?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Urticaria is evanscent

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Hives/ Urticaria has an important characteristic i.e evanscence Or last only a few minutes or 4-6 hours at most, and disappear without a trace, however, urticaria may continue for more than this usual duration in the form of continuously appearing new patches, either at the same or distant site, while exisiting ones resolve. So it might appear as a continous epsiode where new patches keep appearing while previous ones are resolving. Moreover, uriticaria responds very well to oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine, another supportive feature.
A rash which either lasts greater than 24 hours, without ever disappearing and is non-blanching Or is associated with symptoms other than itching e.g burning or pain, it is unlikely to be that due to hives/ urticaria.

Regards

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

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (31 minutes later)

So if the rash disappears after a day or so and is blanching, is it urticaria or signs of a virus?
Thank you

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Urticaria

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Likely to be urticaria. I would advice you to take a tablet of cetrizine once daily in evening for a few days.

Regards

Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

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