Hi there,

You probably don’t need to worry about getting HIV in this situation. HIV is passed through unprotected anal or vaginal sex, through direct blood-to-blood exposures like sharing needles, or from HIV+ mothers to their babies. It is extremely rare for people to be infected with HIV by receiving oral sex. We are not seeing this happen in practice. So, from what you’ve told me, you are at a very low risk of getting HIV. 

We do not diagnose HIV based on symptoms like rash or headache – these are very common symptoms and can be caused by many different things. The only way to tell if a person has a HIV is to get an HIV test. For the tests we have in BC, the best time to test is 3 weeks to 3 months after you have had unprotected sex. If you are very worried, you may want to get a test now to re-assure yourself, and get another test at 3 months after a risk just so you can stop thinking about this risk. Again, if your only possible risk is receiving oral sex, we do not think that you could have gotten HIV, but a test will tell you for sure.

It is a good idea to seeyour doctor to find out what might be causing your symptoms. I would also suggest getting tested for other Sexually Transmittted Infections. Infections like syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea can be passed during oral sex, so it makes sense to get a test for these infections. You can look at our “STIs at a glance” chart to find out the best times to test for these infections – a test for all of them at 3 months after a risk is a good idea. If you are in BC, you can use our clinic finder app to find a place to get tested for HIV and STIs.

Let us know if that helps answer your question,

Health Nurse