Expert: Terry B - 1/22/2007

Question
i know you have answered a lot of questions about fingering and the possibility of HIV being transmitted through cuts on fingers, so apologize for bothering you again with this and thank you for all of your great work.

I stuck my finger in a prostitute's vagina for 3 seconds. i don't think at that time there was any fluids yet. i then started inserting a toy into her vagina and i could then see the fluids. my finger didnt touch the fluids then. it was only those first three seconds.

now i am an electrician, i always have cuts on my fingers. at this particular time there was no cuts. my skin was a bit pealing off at the beginning of the fingernail but no blood, i guess it was just a weak spot of skin. and i might have some broken skin as result of older cuts.
now since i inserted my finger before she would even produce those fluids, would there still be a possibility of transmitting HIV.
Also what is the broken skin that you refer to that could be a area of transmittion.
How long do i need to wait for testing?
should i not have any unprotected intercourse with my wife  or oral sex until i get tested?
  
sorry, im just paranoid and have a lot of guilt.
thanks  

Answer
Dear Fares:

Peace.  If the woman was infected and you had an open cut (recently bleeding) you are at some risk though I would guess that it is minimal (three seconds).  To be absolutely safe I guess you could wait six months from the exposure and have an ELISA test; to be very, very careful would be to wait six weeks for the same test; to risk a false positive (indicating you are infected when not in 10% of cases) you could find a p-24 antigen test.  All in all, I think your risk is very, very small.

If you choose to be on the safe side, protect others from your semen and blood during these six months from date of exposure.  Saliva cannot transmit HIV so providing oral sex would be of very low risk.

Again, peace and I recommend you see a testing counselor or health professional to help answer your questions and address the paranoia and guilt.

I hope this helps a bit.



Terry