Dear Dr
I am having highly irrational thoughts about a recent experience of was wondering if you address some of my concerns
10 days ago I visited a strip club in the UK and received a lap dance. I remained fully clothed and never once touched the stripper in question. She danced for me naked and touched her vagina several times throughout the dance, the 2 points of concern for me are that she touched her breasts after touching her vagina and then rubbed them in my face, also at one point her vagina was maybe a foot away from my face whilst she was playing with it. Although at no point did I feel anything making contact with my eyes i.e. vaginal fluid, I am concerned that an amount too small for me to feel but large enough to infect could have gotten into my eyes and therefore exposed me to a risk. Of particular concern to me is the fact that whilst playing with herself a foot away from my face some vaginal fluid could have flicked into my eye thus mirroring the risk gay men in receipt of facials are exposed to from semen in the eye which is often said to be a risky exposure even by esteemed experts like yourself. I have detailed some questions below and if you could address them directly it would be much appreciated.
1. Could you assess my risk from the events that I have described
2. Is it possible for an amount of vaginal fluid making direct contact with my eye to be too small to notice/feel but large enough to infect. if not, why?
3. Why is semen in the eye from a facial often considered to be a risk but vaginal fluid isn't?
4. I think the stripper may have had a clitoris piercing, would this increase the risk? i.e. potential blood from the point of the pierce.
5. Do you think I should have a test for this exposure?
6. Is it safe for me to continue to have unprotected sex with my wife?
7. How efficient is the eye as an infection site when compared with other mucous membranes like cuts, the rectum, the throat etc?
Thanks for the post. I've addressed your questions beneath.
Quote:
1. Could you assess my risk from the events that I have described no risk at all
2. Is it possible for an amount of vaginal fluid making direct contact with my eye to be too small to notice/feel but large enough to infect. if not, why?you must have had things go into your eye in your life and so you must know how sensitive they are - I don't believe a vaginal fluid "aerosol" would be a threat to you
3. Why is semen in the eye from a facial often considered to be a risk but vaginal fluid isn't? because there's lots of it - if you can get sufficient amount of vaginal fluid in your eyes then yes, I can see that potentially, if the lady was HIV positive, that might be a threat - however, I am not persuaded that you have bathed your eye in vaginal fluids
4. I think the stripper may have had a clitoris piercing, would this increase the risk? i.e. potential blood from the point of the pierce.why would there be blood unless she'd just rushed from the piercing parlour - again, not remotely convinced by this
5. Do you think I should have a test for this exposure?no
6. Is it safe for me to continue to have unprotected sex with my wife?yes
7. How efficient is the eye as an infection site when compared with other mucous membranes like cuts, the rectum, the throat etc?higly efficient - more than the throat but less than the rectum /vagina - but you do have to get sufficient fluid from an HIV infected person into the eye - you didn't - you've simply constructed a nightmare scenario which didn't happen
Thanks for your response, its very much appreciated and has gone some way to alleviating my fears, however I have a couple of final questions and then I'll leave you in peace!
From day 7 I have had some shooting pains in my groin, underarms and neck and there is definately some sweeling in my groin and under my jaw (although admittedly I have been prodding more than usual). I also have a slight sore throat although it doesnt feel like a conventional sore throat i.e. inflamed and irritated at the back of the mouth, it is more a pain at the bottom of the throat when i swallow, almost like a muscular pain.
I am now constantly feeling and trying to notice for the onset of symptoms and its really distressing me.
Please could you offer you opinion on these in relation to my previous query. Does this change your initial assessment.
Hello,
This time I will be the one answering your last question.
In spite of those non-specific symptoms, my colleague Dr Sean's assessment and advice would not change at all. There was no risk at all, and hence no test is required.
Your symptoms could be sympotms of many other common conditions, and I beleive that they are most likely to be related to your worry and anxiety.
Best wishes,
José
HIV Questions
Linear Mode
