AboutTerry B Expertise Help in assessing personal and professional risk of HIV transmission; tips in teaching about HIV/AIDS; cultural competency for teaching about HIV/AIDS in Catholic settings; considerations in US and overseas HIV/AIDS programs and education for health and other professionals. Specific questions about treatment should be referred to your health provider; opinions and information offered are not meant to replace medical advice
Experience Seven years with academic medical center and national AIDS education and training center, seven subsequent years with focus on international HIV/AIDS in East and South Africa. Former clinician, bioethics preceptor at an academic medical center and presenter in wide range of fora including international AIDS conference.
Organizations Disabled American Veterans
American Public Health Association
MENSA
AA
Publications Human Variety, EC Sociological Society
Proceedings of the International AIDS Conference, Durban, South Africa
"HIV and Primary Care"
Education/Credentials BS Psychology
MPH Master of Public Health
PhD studies underway
Awards and Honors Naval School of Health Sciences, Hospital Corps with Highest Honors, Neuropsychiatry with Honors and High Distinction
Expert: Terry B Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: torn condom
Question hi, four days ago I had sex with a prostitute. i wore a condom and i cumed inside his vagina and when I brought out my penis, i saw that my condom was torn. i did not have sex before and this was my first experience, but the prostitute has been doing that for three days and she said that during these three years she has been always watchful and never had sex with s.o who did not wear condom. she said she is clean and had not virus with her but i fear so much. now i want to get sure if i have gottem aids or not. what shouyld i do now ? i test my blood ? when should i do that ? i am so anxious and sad.
Answer Dear Arash:
Peace to you and yours. Let me begin by saying that your risk, thanks to wearing a condom, is smaller than it would have been without; you covered at least part of your penis for at least part of the potential exposure, and while your ejaculate (cum, semen, sperm) would have placed your partner at risk if you were infected, your own risk is considerably less. Please remember that lubricants with oil in them will cause latex condoms to break, more tips on safe condom use can be found at www.thebody.com and I recommend you study up a bit. Because the amount of potentially infectious fluids to which you were exposed is lower, the area of your skin smaller than without, and the duration of your exposure shorter, you are at less risk than you might have been. Also, this is one exposure (low frequency), and if you have not had sex before, your chances of having a sexually transmitted disease that would cause breaks or sores on your exposed area (and put you at greater risk) is small or non-existent.
As it was four days ago, seeking treatment at this point is probably not helpful; there are lab tests that can look at the possibility of an infection this early, but they are often expensive, and in about 10% of the cases, they indicate the possibility when you are NOT infected, and this can cause greater worry than necessary. My recommendation would be that you abstain from sex and sharing your blood or semen with others for five and a half weeks, and then to to an HIV testing and counseling center. While I think it unlikely that this one exposure would cause an HIV infection, it seems important for your peace of mind and knowledge about your health to talk with a knowledgeable person about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and take charge of your health and sexual safety.
I wish for you and yours the best, and please read up on HIV, sexual health, and other topics at www.avert.org or www.thebody.com to be better informed in your decision-making.
This experience is something you cannot change; have courage to change your knowledge and become an informed decision-maker in your health.
