hey doc. umm, are polyurethane condoms as effective as latex condoms in stopping HIV and hepatitis transmission for latex sensitive people?

Hi,

Another QTND (question that never dies) and ATNC (answer that never changes). See below.

Dr. Bob

Latex VS Polyurethane Sep 12, 2006

About 4 weeks ago I was drunk out of my mind and ended up having sex with a worker in Korea. Now, I am not sure if she used latex of poly, but my question is this: do my chances of aquiring HIV with a polyurethane condom rise? Are they fruitless in stopping HIV? Are sex workers in Korea ( not the ones in hooker hill for the GI's) dirty? Basically, this site has given me a ton of reassurance and made me not as worried, but it is still there. So basically I am looking for some more assurance from the italian stallion. Then another question I have is from another forum it says usually people who test positive, test positive within 4-6 weeks, how accurate is this? Looking in the archives it says this is the 'average' for people testing positive? Ahhh too much on my mind. Any help is appreciated. Thanks! (Will donate when i get tested for teh final time=P)

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello,

Polyurethane and latex are equally effective in preventing STDs/HIV. Why did you think polyurethane would be "fruitless in stopping HIV???" I can absolutely assure you that HIV cannot permeate intact polyurethane or latex. No way. No how.

As for whether sex workers in Korea are dirty, gosh, how would I know? I assume showers, soaps and shampoos are readily available, so they probably have no reason to be covered in grit and grime. Oh, that's not what you meant, now is it? HIV incidence in Korean sex workers? Sorry, I don't have any statistics on that, but if your condom (latex or poly) was used properly and did not fail, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. OK?

As for HIV test results, the majority of HIV-infected folks will have detectable levels of anti-HIV antibodies in their blood by 4-6 weeks. However, because some folks take longer to develop anti-HIV antibodies and not all HIV test kits have the same level of sensitivity, the guidelines continue to set the window at three months. Tests taken before the three-month mark are therefore not considered definitive or conclusive.

Dr. Bob