Worried about HIV
Good day,
Hi there,
Thank you for using the AIDS Vancouver Helpline as your source of HIV/AIDS related information.
Receiving oral sex is considered a negligible risk activity for passing HIV from one partner to the other. This means that there has never been a reported or confirmed case of anyone ever acquiring HIV this way. That is because saliva is not a bodily fluid that can contain enough of the virus needed for transmission. Also an enzyme in saliva actually inhibits the virus from entering the bloodstream. Even if there was little blood present in the mouth there would have to have been very high levels of the virus in the blood for there to be an elevated risk to you.
It is highly unlikely that you could have acquired HIV from this encounter and would not require testing. With that said, we do recommend that anybody who is sexually active receive regular STI (including HIV) tests for your safety, the safety of your partners, and your peace of mind. Depending on your preferences this may be on an annual, biannual, or every 3-4 month basis.
If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact us again.
Cheers,
Cameron
AIDS Vancouver Helpline Volunteer
E-mail: helpline@aidsvancouver.org
Phone (Mon-Fri 9-4pm): (604) 696-4666
Web: www.aidsvancouver.org/helpline
Disclaimer
The AIDS Vancouver Helpline is a volunteer-driven information, referral and support service related to HIV and sexual health. Volunteers are trained in active listening, HIV and sexual health information, and local resources and services. Volunteers are not doctors, nurses, or other licensed professionals. Volunteers do not give advice, and strive to provide service-users with adequate information and appropriate referrals.
Helpline volunteers uphold the agency’s confidentiality and privacy policies. Your calls, forum posts, and emails are anonymous. We welcome you to use a pseudonym or “fake name” when using Helpline services. We will not ask for or track your personal information. To ensure that the Helpline program is providing quality services, the Helpline Coordinator regularly monitors online content (forum posts and emails) and supervises volunteers who are receiving calls.
The Helpline Program should not be used in replacement of medical examination, diagnosis, advice counseling or follow-up care. We strongly recommend routine testing (HIV and STI tests) and discussing your healthcare directly with a physician.
We would love to hear from you! If you have feedback or questions related to the operations of the Helpline, please contact David at helpline@aidsvancouver.org or by calling 604.696.4666.
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