Question
Anxious question after kissing an HIV-postive person…
9 February 2008. Related: All topics.
I was on a date with a guy and we kissed three times (deep kissing). We did not take it any further because i did not know his HIV status. Two days later, because we were planning to take it further in the future, we decided to both get tested. I knew my HIV status but I wanted us to both go because sometimes people lie.
Anyway, he came back positive and i was negative. At first i was not worried but then I started reading about HIV on the net and there is a possibility of getting aids through deep kissing.
This was a month ago and i think I am having a flu. I had fever one night and i have severe nasal congestion, cough and runny nose. My lymph nodes are not swollen.
I am a teacher, and all of the teachers in my building have the cold, cough and flu. All five of us were sick together on Tuesday.
I am worried that I have HIV? What is the best test to take after 40 days of exposure?
Please help me.
Answer
This is basic health care that you should already know, and be able to teach your children.
You can NOT catch HIV by kissing, even deep kissing. No case has been reported from over 40 million infections. What ever website you use is not reliable.
Try www.avert.org for more information, especially their pages on testing and transmission.
Once you accept this, you can answer your other questions yourself, including looking at your reactions to the situation.
Information about HIV tests is at this link.
Thank you for letting us know…I also had the same case, now I understand
This comment is for anyone out there that deals with phobia related to HIV. You cannot get HIV from kissing, including deep kissing. There is a lot of mis-information out there that confuses and then scares people. There is dubious case of HIV infection from 1997 in which the CDC was unable to rule out the possibility that bleeding gums in both partners’ mouths while deep kissing lead to infection. The individuals involved also performed oral sex and hetero vaginal insertive sex as well. This one case (which is highly HIGHLY suspect) lead to the CDC recommending against deep kissing while having bleeding gums or mouth sores because of the theoretical possibility of infection. That recommendation opens a pandoras box of paranoid what ifs in people’s mind. I should know… Ive dealt with those same paranoid thoughts.
Here’s the thing, the mouth is an incredibly hostile environment to HIV and through a combination of deactivating proteins found in saliva and exposure to air kills whatever amount of the virus may be in there… immediately. Its akin to if you went to the planet Venus and took off your space suit. You wouldnt get past taking off your helmet before you’d be dead. Its the same for HIV in the mouth.
To put your mind at ease remember that as has been stated in this thread and by many other reputable sources out there on the web, there has never EVER been a single confirmed case of HIV infection from kissing alone (from a closed mouth peck to open mouth french). To further put your mind at ease change your thought process on the topic from what could have gone wrong to what will go right. For example, you would make medical history if your fears came true; which, they wont given the more than 40 million cases in nearly 40 years, none of which can be attributed to kissing of any kind. Also, searching HIV phobia is helpful because it’ll show you all the people such as yourself (and myself) who have a phobia about infection.
Read this, know you have ZERO risk and that your fear means you’re human, not crazy. I reiterate, ZERO risk.
You’re going to be okay :)
God bless you.
Hi Mpho,
Are you asking about side effects to HIV meds? What meds are you taking?
What makes body shaking
Hi Mpho,
No, as it says above, you can NOT catch HIV by kissing, even deep kissing.
If I kiss someone who is HIV ..can I be HIV positive or not?
Hi Mpho,
Yes, there are other reasons for feeling weak that are not because of HIV. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about them. Make sure you tell them why you feel weak. For example, is it because you feel faint, or maybe you’re so tired you sleep too much.
What causes body weakness beside hiv
Hi Bimb, Kissing and deep kissing have no risk of transmitting HIV. There’s more info here.
Hello, I am so anxious and anxiety looks to have affect me mentally and somehow physically since I kissed a girl I met while drinking alcoholic drink. We did open mouth kiss, I guess, It doesnt involve the tongue and only portions of the lips. However, I am worried.