Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 4/30/2008

Question
Hi,
 I have a question regarding the HIV transmission and hope you can answer it. Recently I visited a prostitute and just 30 minutes before I started I shaved my pubic region during which I got a cut in my testicle skin near the base area of my penis. I got a few drops of blood coming out of it too. Even after that it did not occurred to me that I am taking the greatest risk of my life. I visited her and she gave me a hand job and in-between, I touched her vagina only on the surface and not inside. After that she took her hand to her vagina for a moment or too. I don't remember whether she wiped out her hand after touching her vagina. Then she continued giving me the hand job and I ejaculated on her hands. Through the entire time she applied some kind of lubricant or oil on my pubic area. My question is, is there any chance of me getting infected through the wound in the testicle skin? I am confident that she did not took her hand deep in to her vagina and I did not touched my testicles after I touched her vagina. Also is there any chance the virus get spread in the lubricant she applied on me from her hands?


Is there any way to know whether the HIV virus has entered my body so soon? Thank you.

Answer
It is highly unlikely that you would get HIV from what you describe.

However, anytime infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid and/or breast milk enter another person's body, transmission is possible. You need to know that the opening at the tip of the penis is also a means for the virus to enter the body. People always seem to worry about "cuts" but tend to forget about natural body openings.

It is too soon for HIV testing- one needs to wait 1-3 months after a possible exposure.