Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 9/14/2006

Question
I have just got back from faleraki, and while there I encourtered I really fit girl, but she looked like the drug abuse type of person (if you know what I mean).

Anyways, in the club I french kissed her and completly forgot about my mouth ulcer on the lower side of my mouth(it was not bleeding).

At first, I thought you cannot catch HIV from kissing, but apparently, if you have a open sore, and the recipient has an open sore, there is a slight risk of a small blood transfusion taking effect. Although there was no taste or obvious visual signs of blood present, I still feel, the alchohol could have hidden these clues.

Please could someone with good knowledge tell me whether I need to have a SDT check performed, ASAP, Because I becoming extremely anxious over this matter.

I am probably being stupid, but the thought of knowing I could be at rist is killing me.

Answer
You do not need a sore to contract HIV orally- the mouth is a mucous membrane and an opening to the body which allows HIV in...you can think of the mouth like a big sore. Bleeding sores would only offer an extra way for the virus to enter.

Saliva does not transmit HIV. However, blood can. The risk is really small and I would not think you would need to seek HIV testing from this. Of course, there's no way to be 100% sure though without testing.