Let’s reflect on your situation… If you have had sex outside of your relationship, you are surely scared and reading a lot on the Internet that does little to improve the situation. At Open House we have created this page to guide you and help calm you down. If you decide to visit us, you will find a team that will provide you with a quick and precise solution, treating you with efficiency, understanding and respect.
What worries me most is HIV / AIDS
The possibility of infection with HIV is remote… do you know why? It is not a common sexually transmitted infection. In Spain, heterosexuals infected with HIV through sex are around only 20,000 people. Considering that there are more than 2 million people in Spain with diabetes and 800,000 people with hepatitis C, it is correct to say that HIV is not something common.
It is not normally transmitted in oral sex. If there is mutual bleeding or someone transmits another infection to you through oral sex, such as syphilis, and they also have HIV, the risk of becoming infected with HIV is around 0.05%. In practice, we don’t see HIV in oral sex.
But in vaginal sex, will it be much more infectious?
The risk for a man in vaginal sex without a condom or condom breakage with a woman infected with HIV is around 0.1% and the figure rises to 0.5% for women. That is, even with vaginal penetration without a condom, this virus is not very infectious.
So how is HIV transmitted?
From our experience at Open House, it’s mostly seen in anal sex, and because of that, we see it mostly among men who have sex with men.
I don’t know if there are other relevant infections
There are other sexually transmitted infections that are much more common than HIV and can also be hidden. Look at the frequency of positive cases in the tests we do on our patients without symptoms:
- Chlamydia: Every 15 tests we do
- Gonorrhea: Every 24 tests we do
- Mycoplasma genitalium: Every 26 tests we do
- Syphilis: Every 120 tests we do
- Hepatitis B: Every 330 tests we do
- HIV: Every 2,300 tests we do
- In the throat: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma genitallium and syphilis are almost always without symptoms (about 90% of cases).
- In the urethra (penis): 60% of chlamydia cases, 20% of gonorrhoea and mycoplasma genitallium, and 15% of syphilis are without symptoms.
- In the vagina: 40% gonorrhoea and up to 60% chlamydia, mycoplasma genitallium and syphilis are without symptoms
The Internet confuses me and what I read worries me
Open House has done internet searches on topics like “HIV risk from oral sex” and it’s amazing what’s written. Everything we have written on our website about the risks of infections and the recommended tests is not the opinion of Open House, but rather comes from data from scientific publications. In 2011, the Open House website was recognized as a “Health Interest Website”.
It is easy to get lost with the information and misinformation on the Internet, but you have already come across us and you can always write to us about specific questions by email or if you need a consultation with a specialist, you can make an appointment.
How can I prevent possible infections after recent contact?
There are situations in which we can act quickly and give preventive treatment to prevent infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis from establishing themselves. But we cannot administer antibiotics in all cases, there is a protocol to determine who is a candidate.
Some of the criteria that must be met are:
That the contact was only oral sex
- A maximum of 3 days have elapsed since that contact.
- If you meet these conditions, make an appointment to evaluate the other factors and receive preventive treatment.
Can I get tested NOW or do I have to wait?
In order for the reliability of the tests to be as high as possible, the so-called “Window Period” must be respected. It is not an Open House invention, but is based on international standards. It is a waste of time and money to do them beforehand and you risk missing the infection. The Window Periods required for the main infections are:
- Gonorrhea: 1 week
- Chlamydia: 2 weeks
- Mycoplasma genitalium: 2 weeks
- Syphilis: 3 weeks
- Hepatitis B: 4 weeks
- HIV: 10 days, 4 weeks or 3 months, depending on the technique
I think I have all kinds of symptoms
For example, it is common to read the following about the symptoms of primary HIV infection:
“Fever, swollen glands, rashes, sore throat, mouth ulcers, tongue involvement, headache, irritability or depression, nausea, diarrhoea, or abdominal pain.”
Two comments: Sounds a lot like a bad cold or flu, right? So isn’t it more likely to be a cold than a case of HIV?
When can I have sex with my partner again?
It is difficult to answer this question, but in general terms we would say the following:
If you’re worried enough to get tested, we need to consider the possibility that there may be a positive result. Therefore, wait for test results and proper medical advice before engaging in unprotected sex with your partner again.
I have children: are they in danger?
It is absolutely impossible to transmit any sexually transmitted disease to your children through kissing, hugging, etc. It is important to remember that these are sexually transmitted infections, not casually transmitted.
We understand that you are in a very stressful situation and that your mind is hyperactive right now. We are at your disposal if you want to call us or make an appointment to clarify doubts.
I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. Please help me, I’m desperate!
Many of our patients are in your situation. They don’t walk through the office door with rashes, coughs or discharge, but with concern. If you find yourself absolutely overwhelmed by stress, we have these tips for you:
It is necessary to keep in mind the risks of these infections relevant to the sex you had. As you will have seen here, the scariest things (such as HIV) are not common.
You may have to wait a bit before getting tested. If you really believe that you will not be able to do it because you cannot sleep, you feel nervous, you are afraid, etc. Come and our doctors will be able to help you.
Stress can be reduced by doing your own “cognitive therapy”: it consists of making an effort to end negative thoughts about your situation, reinforcing all the positives there are, for example.
What if I have HIV and my girlfriend leaves me?
No, because she only gave me oral sex for a few seconds and it is not transmitted in this way.
I have swollen glands and that is a symptom of HIV, according to the Internet.
Because I did not practice penetration, the sex I did was not of great risk for HIV.
My penis has turned red; Since I’ve been with a prostitute, I’m sure she’s given me something!
I’m not going to go around anymore. I have Open House where I can go to get this sorted out ASAP.
Take a breath, take a deep breath and, if you need us, do not hesitate to call and find out.
Dr. Atef Souied Espada