Living with HIV in the Philippines: Email 646: Had an Encounter with a PLHIV

Call me Mr. X. it was JUNE of this year I had contact with sogmebody.. nakilala ko lang po sya sa bus. tinanung ko sya kung my sakit sya?. ang sabi nya ehh. wala my napansin akong rashes sa balat nya ang sabi nya ehh. "skin asthma" daw un.. then nagkarun kami ng quikee contact pero "insertive fellatio" lang ung nangyari. mga couple of minutes lang yung contact.. after noon. we exchange no.

Two months ago, I received a txt from unknown that this person died due to meningitis. kinabahan na ako. it pop up on my mind na very rare ang meningitis sa isang adult. then I asked "anu po yung caused ng meningitis" she response "di kasi nag matured ung immune system sya" my follow up question "nagkaroon po ba sya ng sti" she said walang sti ung anak ko?.. HIS HIV POSITIVE!!!

kinabahan ako.. then I request a hiv test THIS AUGUST sa RITM.. the result is NEGATIVE..

MY QUESTION IS..

1. ILANG PERCENT PO BA YUNG POSIBILITY MAGKAROON AKO NG HIV.
2. SA WINDOWS, PERIOD ANO PO YUNG CONFIRMATORY SIGN AND SYMPTOMS FOR HIV POZZIE
3. LASTLY MY NERVE IS GETTING NERVIOUS. napaparanoid naku bka possible ako mgkarun kasi meron akung mga pimples sa katawan though I had it before kasi pawisin ako..

tnx!

TRANSLATION

Call me Mr. X. It was June of this year when I had contact with somebody that I met in a bus. I asked him if he had infections and he said he had none. I observed some rashes on his skin and he just said that it was skin asthma. We had a quickie contact and it was just an insertive fellatio which lasted for a couple of minutes.When then exchanged numbers.

Two months ago, I received a text message from an unknown person that this person died of meningitis. I got scared. It popped in my mind that meningitis is pretty rare for adults. I asked the person what was the cause of his meningitis and she said that he had weakened immune system. My follow up question was if he had STI and she said he had non but he was HIV positive.

I got scared. I took the HIV test last August in RITM and the result was negative.

My questions are:

How many percent possibility that I will have HIV?
During the window period, what is the confirmatory signs and symptoms of being an HIV positive?
I am getting nervous. I am getting paranoid as I might have it since I have pimples in my body although I had it before since I am a sweaty person.

Thanks.

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi Mr. X.

Thank you for your email. Thank you for sharing your experience and concern with us.

First of all, I am proud of you for taking the HIV Test. taking it gives you control of your health and your life.

Now let me answer your questions in the order that you asked them.

1. There is no exact data telling the percentage of transmission of HIV through insertive fellatio. This is a low risk exposure, unless of course, during the contact, you had mouth sores or wounds inside your mouth.

2. HIV has non specific symptoms. This means that whatever you are feeling may or may not be related to HIV. The only way to diagnose HIV is by through the HIV test. Period.

3. I understand your nervousness. Who wouldn't be, right? You had contact with an HIV positive person who recently died. Of course, it is natural to be scared. Learn from this experience. The cases of HIV is still on the rise, so just don't believe a stranger or just anybody (including your partner) that he or she has no HIV until you see his HIV test result. It is safer that way. It will calm down your nerves during situations like these.

The best advice that I can give you for now is, one, retake the HIV test after 6 months post exposure to finally calm down your nerves, and second, consult with a dermatologist or an infectious disease doctor to address your other issues.

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.

Stay healthy,

Pozziepinoy