Been Exposed?

HIV cannot be passed on through skin to skin contact, e.g. from someone’s hands or lips touching a penis or vagina.

If you're worried about personal risk, we advise your speak to your GP.

Oral sex presents a very low risk of HIV transmission. There is an enzyme in saliva that acts as a natural defence to HIV. Having an open and bleeding wound in your mouth does increase the risk of oral HIV transmission slightly, but there would need to be a significant amount of semen containing a high HIV viral load coming into direct contact with the wound.

If you believe you been at risk of HIV we suggest you book at test three months after the event occurred and ensure you use condoms and lube for anal and vaginal sex.

You cannot acquire or pass on HIV by rimming (licking or eating out someone's ass). However, hepatitis A and gut infections such as shigella are easily passed on this way.

Based on your answers, you are at very low risk of contracting HIV as condoms are one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from HIV during sex. If used correctly, the condom acts as a barrier that HIV and other STIs can't pass through.

While not as extreme of a risk as anal sex, vaginal sex without a condom or with a broken condom still poses a risk of passing on HIV from infected semen, pre-cum or vaginal fluids.

We suggest you get an STI test as soon as you can and discuss your experience and possible HIV risk during this appointment.

When taken as prescribed, PrEP ensures there is enough HIV medication in the body to significantly reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV if exposed during unprotected sex.

As part of your regime, make sure you're getting tested for STIs regularly. That way, if you do pick up something like syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia, you can get it treated quickly and prevent it passing on to anyone else.

Anal sex without a condom or with a broken condom poses a risk of contracting HIV.

We suggest you get an STI test as soon as you can and discuss your experience and possible HIV risk during this appointment.

Condoms and lube are the most effective way to protect yourself from HIV and most other STIs, like syphilis and gonorrhea. Click here to find places to get free condoms.

What now?

PEP
Because the event was less than 72 hours ago you should access PEP – a short course of anti-HIV medication that may be able to prevent you from HIV infection. To access PEP you will need to head to the nearest emergency room or after-hours clinic, or contact your GP as soon as you can – as the longer you leave it, the less chance it will be effective. Click below to learn more about PEP and how to access it. If you don’t think you will be able to initiate PEP within 72 hours then change your answer above for more relevant advice.

Condoms
When people become infected with HIV, the virus begins replicating very quickly in their body. What this means is that people who have recently contracted HIV are at the point where they are the most infectious they will ever be, and so are most likely to pass the virus on to sexual partners at this time. Therefore, it is vital that you use condoms and lube for anal and vaginal sex if you are unsure of your status. Click here to find places to get free condoms.

Why high risk?

Unprotected anal sex (which includes the absence of condoms, PrEP or U=U comes with a very high risk of HIV. Other STIs are also a risk when there’s no condom involved. The risk of HIV is slightly higher for the receptive partner, but it's still high if you are topping. During sex, the lining of the rectum of the receptive partner (‘bottom’) can get damaged and HIV can enter the bloodstream of the insertive partner ('top'), either through the penis hole, or through small cuts on the skin.

What now?

Testing
Due to the window period the ideal time to be tested for HIV is four weeks after you think you may have been at risk to HIV. The window period is what we call the time when HIV may be present in your system but not detectable by certain tests. Evidence of HIV can be detected by some tests as early as 2 weeks after exposure, but it may take up to 3 months. Everyone responds differently to the virus. This is why a negative result should always be confirmed by a follow-up test around 12 weeks later.

We understand that this can create a long and incredibly anxious waiting time, if you would like to talk to someone we do have counselling services available. Also, you may want to consider getting an STI test a week or two after this event - we suggest you talk to someone at your appointment about your possible HIV & STI risk.

Condoms
When people become infected with HIV, the virus begins replicating very quickly in their body. What this means is that people who have recently contracted HIV are at the point where they are most infectious they will ever be, and so are most likely to pass the virus on to sexual partners at this time. Therefore, it is vital that you use condoms and lube for anal and vaginal sex if you are unsure of your status. Click here to find places to get free condoms.

Why high risk?

Unprotected anal sex (which includes the absence of condoms, PrEP or U=U comes with a very high risk of HIV. Other STIs are also a risk when there’s no condom involved. The risk of HIV is slightly higher for the receptive partner, but it's still high if you are topping. During sex, the lining of the rectum of the receptive partner (‘bottom’) can get damaged and HIV can enter the bloodstream of the insertive partner ('top'), either through the penis hole, or through small cuts on the skin.