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Are Sore Throat, Joints Pain And Mouth Ulcers Signs Of HIV Infection?
Question: Hi,
About 1.5 months ago I had one time unprotected vaginal sex with a random girl I met in the internet (didn't seem slutty or anything)
About 2-3 weeks later I started having a severe throat pain, some joint pains and mouth ulcers and pain. Basically my general feeling became better after 3-4 days but since then for over a month I have been having persistent throat pain coming back again which freaks me out. I took antibiotics for 10 days which didn't help.. I had no fever, no rash and the throat pain is just chronic.
I will get tested of course but wanted in general to hear your perception on my chances of acquiring HIV that way and if these symptoms seem similar or am I just being paranoid...
About 1.5 months ago I had one time unprotected vaginal sex with a random girl I met in the internet (didn't seem slutty or anything)
About 2-3 weeks later I started having a severe throat pain, some joint pains and mouth ulcers and pain. Basically my general feeling became better after 3-4 days but since then for over a month I have been having persistent throat pain coming back again which freaks me out. I took antibiotics for 10 days which didn't help.. I had no fever, no rash and the throat pain is just chronic.
I will get tested of course but wanted in general to hear your perception on my chances of acquiring HIV that way and if these symptoms seem similar or am I just being paranoid...
Brief Answer:
one time risk of hiv is 1 in 2500
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query in detail and i have understood your concern.
One time risk of acquiring Hiv from a single unprotected vaginal sexual encounter is about 0.04%. In other words chances are 1 in 2500 that one would acquire Hiv from a single act of unprotected vaginal sex. However, each unprotected sexual encounter can potentially lead to Hiv.
Flu like symptoms hold no significance in
diagnosis of Hiv. These symptoms may be due to an unrelated reason. Moreover not all Hiv infections present with flu like symotoms.
This means that each act of unprotected sex should be followed by appropriate testing regardless of whether symptoms are present or not.
Regards
one time risk of hiv is 1 in 2500
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query in detail and i have understood your concern.
One time risk of acquiring Hiv from a single unprotected vaginal sexual encounter is about 0.04%. In other words chances are 1 in 2500 that one would acquire Hiv from a single act of unprotected vaginal sex. However, each unprotected sexual encounter can potentially lead to Hiv.
Flu like symptoms hold no significance in
diagnosis of Hiv. These symptoms may be due to an unrelated reason. Moreover not all Hiv infections present with flu like symotoms.
This means that each act of unprotected sex should be followed by appropriate testing regardless of whether symptoms are present or not.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi,
Thx for that.
It's just important for me to emphasize that the throat pain did start in a kind of a flu - I had 2-3 nights of night sweats, some weird joint pains and basically the throat pain with mouth ulcers just stayed for over a month and the general feeling got better...
I just wanted to ask if this presentation is common for ARS or does it always include fever/rash etc and if it lasts this long?
Thx for that.
It's just important for me to emphasize that the throat pain did start in a kind of a flu - I had 2-3 nights of night sweats, some weird joint pains and basically the throat pain with mouth ulcers just stayed for over a month and the general feeling got better...
I just wanted to ask if this presentation is common for ARS or does it always include fever/rash etc and if it lasts this long?
Brief Answer:
I suggest an HIV DUO test.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
ARS can have this sort of presentation but as I already said this presentation is not exclusive for Hiv.
Moreover, not the entire constellation of signs & symptoms of ARS may be present in a patient of Hiv.
Yes, ARS can last for days or even weeks.
At this moment I would just advice you to get screened for HIV by an HIV DUO test (P 24 Antigen and Antibody test).
This test is highly sensitive and specific at 4 weeks and above.
In your case since its already been 1.5 months after you had this sexual encounter, therefore you can take the test even today. This would be conclusive.
Regards
I suggest an HIV DUO test.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
ARS can have this sort of presentation but as I already said this presentation is not exclusive for Hiv.
Moreover, not the entire constellation of signs & symptoms of ARS may be present in a patient of Hiv.
Yes, ARS can last for days or even weeks.
At this moment I would just advice you to get screened for HIV by an HIV DUO test (P 24 Antigen and Antibody test).
This test is highly sensitive and specific at 4 weeks and above.
In your case since its already been 1.5 months after you had this sexual encounter, therefore you can take the test even today. This would be conclusive.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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