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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Boils After Having Protected Sex. Taking Antibiotics For Reoccurring Pharyngitis. Should I Get Tested For HIV?

Hello, last year in july i had protected sex with a girl whose hiv status was unknown to me , this year in march i developed boils and took medicenes for the same and from one month i have been suffering from pharyngitis , sore throat , i took antibiotics , it got fine, then again it occured, then again antibiotics ,6days course,but with antibiotics i took alcohol . Please tell me is there any indication to get tested for hiv ?
Sat, 30 Jun 2012
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi Varun
Given the scenario, I dont think you need to get yourself tested for this again. Recurrent throat infections are common particularly when the season changes as in March/April
Hope that answers your query
Regards
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General & Family Physician Dr. Jaya Sonkar's  Response
Hi,
Yes, unprotected sex with single random (with unknown status) or multiple partners itself warrants testing for HIV. In addition, the presence of boils (assuming in the private parts) can be a sign of STD (sexually transmitted diseases). You may want to consult a physician for a physical exam and may require additional tests.
HIV screening test is simple and is done on a blood sample. It is a sensitive test so false positives are high. If there is a positive test, it is further evaluated by a more specific test which if positive, current status of CD4 cells etc is evaluated and appropriate anti HIV regimen is started
That being said, you don't necessarily need to worry about having the infection. Just get tested and don't worry about it till you get the test results. In the future, always use condoms.
Regarding Pharyngitis and sore throat (Upper respiratory tract infection or URTI)- These can be simple viral/bacterial infection. However, since you have recurrence after treatment, you may want to get a physical exam and get a throat swab , culture and sensitivity. Severe lesions with uncommon organisms indicate compromised immunity. However, since you were exposed to the risk factor around a year back, it is less likely to be due to have it due high HIV viral load or that less CD4 count.
Avoid taking medications with alcohol as it can interfere with pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drugs (i.e. absorption, bioavailability, clearance, efficacy, potency, interaction etc). However, the your symptoms are less likely to be caused by alcohol drug interaction.
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Boils After Having Protected Sex. Taking Antibiotics For Reoccurring Pharyngitis. Should I Get Tested For HIV?

Hi Varun Given the scenario, I dont think you need to get yourself tested for this again. Recurrent throat infections are common particularly when the season changes as in March/April Hope that answers your query Regards