A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi, and thanks for your question.
Though not impossible, a person would be unlikely to get an STI from the type of contact you describe. If a person had an infection like syphilis or herpes that can be passed by skin to skin contact and they touched that area of themselves immediately prior to touching you, it might be possible to pass the virus or bacteria to you. Or if they had ejaculate on their own finger before touching your urethra they could possibly pass chlamydia or gonorrhea if they had either one of those infections.
Of course, those conditions would need to be in place, and really the risk from the encounter you describe is more theoretical than actual.
If you are sexually active, we do always recommend regular testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) anyways. To locate a testing provider in your area, have a look at our Clinic Finder
You might also find our Know Your Chances charts helpful in understanding how different STIs can be passed.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
While HIV can technically be passed through breastmilk, we typically see this from a mother who has HIV to an infant when the baby actually ingests breastmilk during regular breastfeeding multiple times per day. If the breastmilk only came in contact with your skin, then there would not be a risk. And as you’ve pointed out, the HIV status of your partner is unknown.
The 4th Generation HIV antibody test is the standard test used in Canada and the results are accurate at 12 weeks after exposure, as someone who has acquired HIV will have detectable antibodies at this time. Since you’ve tested several times beyond the 12-week mark and your results were all negative, this means that you do not have HIV.
The symptoms you are describing are not specific to HIV and could be contributed to many things including common viruses and infections of the mouth. If you are concerned about your symptoms, I would recommend visiting a doctor for further assessment beyond HIV testing.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
There’s actually not a lot of information out there about the possibility of passing trichomoniasis through oral sex. The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that it is theoretically possible to pass the infection this way but there are few reports to back this up and demonstrate an actual risk. Have a look at what they say on the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention webpage.
Otherwise, I would continue to abstain from any sexual contact as directed by your testing provider. You may also want to revisit the clinic where you got tested and ask them if they recommend taking the treatment again to prevent an infection in the mouth from any oral sex contact after the initial treatment.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for writing in.
HIV is passed through blood and body fluid (semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk). This means that it is passed from person to person through sexual contact (vaginal and anal intercourse), or sharing needles to inject intravenous drugs with a person who has HIV. It is not passed through any skin-to-skin contact like touching, massage, or kissing.
If an individual has some irritated or sensitive skin in the anal/rectal area there would still be no concern for HIV transmission with the type of contact you are describing (touch and massage only).
You also might find our Know Your Chances charts helpful in understanding how HIV is passed
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi
I have not heard of, or seen any sexually transmitted infections (STI) pass when dry humping, it is probably one of the safest ways to have sex.
Given this there would be no need to test for this event. Since most STI do not show symptoms we recommend that people get tested every 3-6 months if they have had any type of activity that could pass a STI.
Let us know if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi
Having unprotected anal sex like unprotected vaginal sex is a good way to pass HIV if you’re having sex with someone who has HIV.
To get HIV you would need to have sex with someone who has HIV. If your partner does not have HIV there is no risk to HIV. You could have unprotected anal sex and there would be no risk. HIV would not be created/made by doing a certain sex act. For someone to get HIV they typically have it passed to them by having unprotected anal/vaginal sex or by sharing injecting drug equipment with someone who has HIV.
It’s possible for someone to be born with HIV if their mother was HIV positive but I think the chance of this happening in your situation would be unlikely. Countries like Canada and many other countries that have good medical care test pregnant people for HIV as they find with the correct care they can prevent babies from having HIV passed to them. Also if a baby did get HIV and was unable to get medical care it is unlikely for the baby to survive for long.
I don’t know you or your partner’s sexual history so it is difficult for me to give specific advice, but I can give you some general information on what you can do next. As this is playing on your mind I wonder if you feel ok with talking to your partner about their STI/HIV status and your concerns. Most people with STI/HIV do not develop any symptoms so it can be common for people to be unaware of their status. If you or your partner has had other sexual partners or risk in the past you could get a STI/HIV test.
Let us know if you have any other concerns or questions
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
It would be very unlikely that an infection would get spread this way. Generally speaking, sexually transmitted infections are transmitted through sexual contact, not through the mode you describe. Of course if you have continuing concerns you could visit your family doctor for further assessment and follow up
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
In Canada, hospitals follow strict infection control measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We really do not see HIV acquired from hospital visits in Canada. HIV is most commonly passed through sexual contact or through sharing needles to inject drugs with an infected person.
Have a look at our HIV and AIDS page for more information on how HIV is spread.
You might also be interested to look at some Canadian statistics for HIV found HERE
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
As long as your HIV test was done at least 3 months after the sexual encounter, the results will be accurate and there should be no need for further HIV testing
The symptoms you are describing are not specific to an HIV infection. If you are concerned about your symptoms you may want to visit your care provider or doctor for further assessment beyond STI testing.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question.
The symptoms you are describing are not specifically related to an HIV infection or any other sexually transmitted infection (STI). In fact, they are much more common with other things such as common colds and flus. If there is no sexual risk or risk through sharing needles with an HIV-infected person for intravenous drug use, then I would recommend visiting a family doctor or doctor at a walk-in clinic for a general full assessment and discussion.
When it comes to STI testing, we generally recommend testing for all STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in addition to HIV since these infections are actually much more common than HIV.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse