Is sore throat after protected sex a sign of HIV?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 31-year-old male. About 38 days ago, I had sex with a commercial sex worker. It was protected vaginal sex and protected oral sex. Also, there was deep throat kissing, which lasted almost a minute. I am not sure about the condom being torn. For the last 3 weeks, I have had a sore throat and mild joint pain, but no fever. Sometimes during the afternoon, the temperature rises up to 37.2 degrees centigrade. The sore throat was mild, but there was a one-point pin-like feeling. While disposing of phlegm, a stain of blood came out. Phlegm was green or yellow in color. I went to the doctor, and he did a chest X-ray and found no problem. I tested for HIV with a 3rd Generation antibody test after 19 days of exposure, which came back negative. My questions are: Are my symptoms related to ARS (acute retroviral syndrome)? What is the possibility of contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) through deep kissing? What can be the cause of blood in the phlegm? One ENT(otolaryngologist) specialist told me that the partition of the nose is a little bent. Is there any relation between this and my symptoms? I am feeling a little weak, but I think it is mostly because of anxiety. How accurate is my 19-day HIV test result? Can a sore throat without fever be a symptom of ARS? I have only a sore throat and very mild joint and muscle pain, and that is also not constant.

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The good news is that if you have protected oral and vaginal sex, then the chances of getting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are nearly nullified. Only at times, in the rarest of circumstances, can HIV be transmitted through some cuts in the genital mucosa, even after using protection. However, this is just a theoretical possibility, so there is no need to worry. Moreover, since your HIV 3rd-generation came back negative, you are good. So do not worry about HIV infection. Just to be sure, use an HIV combo test, which is reliable from the 15th day onwards, and you can repeat the test. This is just for your satisfaction. I can assure you that you do not have HIV. HIV is not spread through deep kissing. It is only herpes that gets transmitted through kissing. The blood in the phlegm is a secondary effect of acute pharyngitis. Sometimes, if throat infections are not controlled, they can lead to some bleeding in the sputum. I will advise you to consult with a specialist and, with their consent, start tablet Levofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for the next 7 to 10 days. Use saline water gargling, and your symptoms will subside. Yes, a deviated nasal septum can lead to repeated throat infections and colds. You need to get an X-ray done and discuss the management with your ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist.

I hope my answer helps you. You can get back to me anytime.

Thank you.