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How To Detect STD Or HIV?
Over the week-end I kissed someone, open mouthed with tongue several times, I don;t know if he had any small cuts in his mouth although I didn't taste any blood but now I am very concerned. Is the only way to be 100% sure that I am ok to wait 6 weeks and get tested?
Mon, 24 Nov 2014
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic
Kissing and exchange of saliva is a very low risk in terms of HIV, unless of course the person involved had open oral sores, which increases the risk.
Other STD's like herpes labialis, syphilis can nevertheless be transmitted through kissing and exchange of saliva. Syphilis patients can have oral mucosal lesions.
Kissing is a very uncommon route for transmitting gonorrhea because the bacteria apparently do not infect the tongue or mouth. It rather infects the throat Or pharynx.
Therefore your sexual contact does'nt seem to be a high risk activity, particularly in terms of HIV.
If I was the treating doctor the only test that I would have been interested in would be for Herpes labialis. Testing for herpes labialis can be done earliest at 2 weeks.
You may undergo testing for other STD's just to clear the thought out of your mind and for your mental peace although it is not mandatory; Screening for HIV and VDRL can be done earliest at 1 month.
This is to be repeated at 3 months to cover for the window period of HIV and incubation period of syphilis.
Regards
Kissing and exchange of saliva is a very low risk in terms of HIV, unless of course the person involved had open oral sores, which increases the risk.
Other STD's like herpes labialis, syphilis can nevertheless be transmitted through kissing and exchange of saliva. Syphilis patients can have oral mucosal lesions.
Kissing is a very uncommon route for transmitting gonorrhea because the bacteria apparently do not infect the tongue or mouth. It rather infects the throat Or pharynx.
Therefore your sexual contact does'nt seem to be a high risk activity, particularly in terms of HIV.
If I was the treating doctor the only test that I would have been interested in would be for Herpes labialis. Testing for herpes labialis can be done earliest at 2 weeks.
You may undergo testing for other STD's just to clear the thought out of your mind and for your mental peace although it is not mandatory; Screening for HIV and VDRL can be done earliest at 1 month.
This is to be repeated at 3 months to cover for the window period of HIV and incubation period of syphilis.
Regards
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