Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. Below is an excerpt I read in one of the doctor's responses to a question:
"Researchers interviewed newly infected people and their HIV-positive partners about the type of sexual behavior that caused the uninfected partner to become positive. Approximately 8 % of the newly infected individuals were infected through oral sex, according to this study."
Fist of all, I've heard of this study, and others like it, but it never addresses which type of oral sex the 8% engaged in - the giver or the getter. I find that to be frustrating - I've read alot about this sort of thing and have found lots of information that says that the risk of contracting HIV by having someone else perform oral sex on you is extremely low and that there have been no documented cases of this. But the above excerpt makes me question that. Were the people in the 8% infected by getting head or by getting? Please clarify that, if you can.
Secondly, my sexual experience consists only of getting sucked, but I have done so with more than just one person, and there were two people who I used to do this regularly with. I've since changed my behavior but I am worried. At times, your medical advice reassures me and at times it concerns me. Please help me out!
Thanks.
Dear Reader,
The study quoted was done in San Francisco in which a large group of HIV negative men were followed every six months with HIV tests. If they turned positive they were interviewed extensively as to what various sex exposures they had. The researchers then eliminated the responses from anyone who said he was drunk or high during the last six months. They then interviewed their sexual partners whenever possible. They ended up with about 80-some men who had "clear" histories. And of those 80-some, about 8% had sucking on some else's penis as their ONLY sexual contact.
I am not sure if that meant that they actually had cum in their month, or had just sucked. But that is where the 8% comes from.
So to answer your question, we feel that there is risk from penis to mouth, but not mouth to penis.
We have no data on pre-cum.
My personal advice is that semen in the mouth can transmit, but mouth on penis probably does not. Therefore it is OK to suck, but don't let the guy cum in your month. How you negotiate that fine line is your job, not mine.
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