Sore Neck, Ear Discomfort, Fatigue, Sinus Pain, Swollen Lymph Glands On Legs. Can I Non-HIV Type Viral Infection Cause This?

Posted on Sun, 24 Jun 2012

Question: On December 23rd I french kissed a woman I had just met after flying from Ohio to XXXXXXX A week before that I felt like I was getting a sinus or ear infection but it felt like it was going away. About a week later I had a heavy feeling in my left ear and the left side of my neck became extremely sore. The pain ended up going into my left collar bone. Then, I started getting weird aches and pains and was fatigued. I had to fly from Ohio to XXXXXXX again (it had been about 10 days since I had kissed the woman now) and was still feeling ill. I started getting shooting pains in my sinuses, face, and the sides of my head and also shooting pains under my arms although I couldn't feel any swollen lymph nodes. This has been going on for 20 days. Last Friday, I banged my XXXXXXX banging it into a drawer bad enough that I broke skin and it bled. Today, 5 days later I have extremley painful and swollen lymph glands on the inside of my leg (not in the inguinal crease area but below that) and it hurts when I walk. Now it seems that the inflamation in my head is moving into my chest. It feels like a burning sensation in my nose and my mouth is also sore. I have had no fever or body rashes except that my neck is slightly red on the side that my ear and neck is bothering me . Everything I blow out of my nose is clear and I am not coughing or coughing up any mucous. Some people at work have complained that they have had a sinus type infection for a month that antibiotics doesn't work on. My question is, can a non hiv type viral infection cause all these symptoms and last this long? What is my risk for catching hiv from french kissing? I believe I was tested years ago and showed antibodies for both cmv and Ebstein Barr Virus and have read you cannot get mono twice. I am worried about french kissing this woman and the things that are going on with me. Could it just be a coincidense that I caught some other nasty viral infection after I kissed this woman and the painful lump in my leg is from the XXXXXXX injury and not generalized lymphodenapthy?

Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (19 hours later)

Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. Symptoms of early HIV infection will take at least a few weeks to develop.

2. Saliva contains very few viruses. Therefore HIV infection is rarely transmitted through exposure to infected saliva. A small mucosal injury or trauma inside the oral cavity may increase the chances of transmission, however even this not more than a percent.

3. Seroconversion to HIV positive status may take three to six months or even longer. You will have to wait out this window period before blood tests to detect HIV.

4. This must be a viral infection. Flying during an attack of sinusitis may lead to barotrauma during take-off and especially on landing. This will worsen your sinusitis and HIV test, sonography (USG) of the neck and groin, Sinus X-rays / CT Scan, FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology) of the suspected nodes may be done if the nodes do not subside.

7. There is always a possibility of multiple viral and bacterial infections ocuring at the same time. Your doctor will have to rule out other STD's such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and herpes virus infections.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil

Follow up: Dr. Sumit Bhatti (7 hours later)

You make it sound like I could get hiv from kissing. Now I am really confused because other professionals have said that there was no risk of hiv and that this is some other viral infection. Should I still get an hiv test since I only french kissed this woman twice?

Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (7 hours later)

Hi,

Thank you for writing back.

1. Yes, you can get HIV infection from kissing as outlined above. However as I have mentioned earlier, the chances are negligible (less than 0.1% or 1 in 1000).
2. Any professional telling you that there is a zero chance of transmission is wrong. HIV is present in all body fluids and can be transmitted through them. It is 0.1% or 1 in 1000 for HIV in your case, which is virtually nil. The chances of transmission of other viruses like only way of confirming your HIV negative status. No professional should deny you that.
4. You need to follow the above instructions to avoid missing other treatable infections or conditions such as barotrauma.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli