Dr,
Around three weeks ago I had protected sexual intercourse with a hooker, I believe there were no issues regarding condom failure/incorrect use but I did rub my finger against her virgina before removing it sucking and placing it back there (twice).
The same morning I started to get a sore throat then later on in the evening this turned into a severe sore throat with sweats/fever. Waking up the following day I was fine but due to this visited my local GUM clinic who ran a number of checks for STI's. The following evening I began to have aching pains coming from my groin area (believed lymph nodes) and felt fatigued this lasted for around two days before clearing up. During the course of the week my groin area would ache and every now and then I'd get a high temperature and sore throat (with most my glands swelling up). Anyway two weeks later I got my STI results showing that I was free from any infections. What worries me is that I may have HIV as the test carried out on me only shows the result from prior to the incident. Since the test I have had on and off bouts of the chills/fevers/sore throats/diarrehea but mainly aching groin lymph nodes (to the left side of my groin). To add to my anxiety I have never felt this way before I have had no runny nose/have not been coughing up phlem as I would with a normal cold. I can find no other infections/injuries to suggest why my lymph nodes are aching.
What are your thoughts about the above, when is the soonest I can get an accurate test carried out re HIV and what test should I have?

[Dr Jose]

Hello,
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
First of all, I would like to reassure regarding HIV. I do not believe at all that you could have become infected in such sexual encounter. Fingering a vagina and then sucking your finger would not involve a risk of a HIV infection at all whatsoever. Moreover, you say that you started having symptoms on the same day. That is impossible in the case of a HIV infection. It usually takes at least a couple of weeks for symptoms of HIV sero-conversion to appear. Therefore none of the symptoms that you have been experiencing have anything to do with HIV.
In the battery of STD tests that you had, did they perform a throat swab for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea? As this would be the only possible infection that you might have picked up when sucking your finger, if anything at all; and they could cause symptoms of a sore throat quite soon after the infection. If you have not had this test, I would recommend you having it.
Regarding HIV tests, I do not think that you need to be tested. The only justification for a test in your case woudl be for your peace of mind and not on any medical grounds.
The earliest test that you could have are:
1.) After 7 days, a PCR RNA test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 (Multiplex) with a reliability of 99.98%.
2.) After 28 days, a HIV Duo test, wich would be conclusive.
Best wishes,
José

Thank you for the swift reply and your input.