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Can HIV Transmitted Through Saliva?

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Posted on Sat, 19 Apr 2014
Question: Dear Doctor, a couple of weeks ago I visited a XXXXXXX sauna. As I stood around in the dimly lit corridor a guy suddenly came up to me and force-kissed my lips for 2 seconds that I stood no chance of avoiding. I felt some wet stuff on my lips but didn't go wash it away as I thought it was just saliva. But subsequent visits to the sauna and seeing what some guys do there, I started to become deeply worried as the "wet stuff" that guy left on my lips might not be saliva but HIV-tained sperm from other guys he had just sucked prior to force-kissing me!!! I am not 100% sure but I believe the fluid didn't get into my mouth as my lips were closed at that time, and I don't remember the taste of it also. Still I am in a mixed mode of great anger and anxiety as I feel it was a big insult and even murder! Could you please advise my chances of getting STDs and HIV in this way, even if I had swallowed a bit of that unknown fluid (assuming he had just finished oral sex on another guy/guys 2 minutes ago)? My lips had no cracks at that time. Thanks
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Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer: Your risk for HIV is negligible.Nothing to worry Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome to HCM. Thanks for sending this query. Please calm down. I can understand your concern about getting HIV in this way. But I assure that you wouldn't get anything like that. It looks quite unusual to imagine that somebody had oral sex with those who is a known HIV positive as this individual also becomes risk for HIV. Human saliva contains an enzyme called 'Lysozyme', which is inimical to HIV. Even otherwise HIV in semen when kept in mouth can not survive longer than few minutes. Even if we consider that some infectious material got contacted to the lip or even swollen (HCL in stomach will destroy the virus), it can not survive to produce an infection. So your risk for HIV remains as negligible only and nothing to worry. If it disturbs your mind very much, go for HIV test and get yourself cleared that you are free from HIV after seeing the negative result. Have a happy day. Dr S.Murugan
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan

HIV AIDS Specialist

Practicing since :1974

Answered : 3110 Questions

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Can HIV Transmitted Through Saliva?

Brief Answer: Your risk for HIV is negligible.Nothing to worry Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome to HCM. Thanks for sending this query. Please calm down. I can understand your concern about getting HIV in this way. But I assure that you wouldn't get anything like that. It looks quite unusual to imagine that somebody had oral sex with those who is a known HIV positive as this individual also becomes risk for HIV. Human saliva contains an enzyme called 'Lysozyme', which is inimical to HIV. Even otherwise HIV in semen when kept in mouth can not survive longer than few minutes. Even if we consider that some infectious material got contacted to the lip or even swollen (HCL in stomach will destroy the virus), it can not survive to produce an infection. So your risk for HIV remains as negligible only and nothing to worry. If it disturbs your mind very much, go for HIV test and get yourself cleared that you are free from HIV after seeing the negative result. Have a happy day. Dr S.Murugan