Hi Doctor. Thank you for your effort and spirit in helping the world fighting this horrible disease, you are a hero to all of us. Here comes my story and my concern. I've had an oral episode with a stripper with unknown HIV status two nights ago. Before I engaged this activity I asked her does she ever get tested with HIV and other STDs, and she answered yes and claimed she is healthy(but who knows whether she is telling the truth). I licked both her vagina and anus. Although the activity did not last long and it wasn't intense, I am still very worried, since I just realized my gum bled a little when I brush my teeth that morning (the oral sex happened about 14 hours after I have brushed my teeth). Am I in a great risk of catching HIV or other STDs? I've done something foolish and now I felt like I have walked to the end of my life. I've got no one else to turn to but you, please help, doctor. A donations has been made to your wonderful organization via Paypal (ID # XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX). Thanks for answering and keep up the good fight! Georgie

Hello Georgie,

Minimal licking of a stripper's nether regions, even if you had some minimal bleeding of your gums when you brushed your teeth 14 hours earlier, would carry an essentially negligible risk for HIV transmission. Certainly if you are worried, you should get a single rapid HIV test at the three-month mark to put your residual fears permanently to rest. The odds are beyond astronomical that you did not contract HIV from "tasting" the stripper. Your fears that you "have walked to the end of (your) life" are unwarranted.

Thanks for your tax-deductible donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. Together our concerted efforts can and will turn the tide on this pandemic. In return I'm sending you my good-luck karma that your definitive three-month test is negative. I'm confident it will indeed be negative.

Be well.

Dr. Bob