I had straight sex (with a condom) about a month ago with an Amsterdam prostitute. You have already said that the risk of infection with a condom is almost non-existent. What is now worrying me to death is the fact that I inserted my fingers into her vagina, and I bite my nails - which means that I have several light cuts around my fingernails. Can you please tell me if there would be any risk of infection. I am worried to death.

Any time you have sexual contact with an infected person, transmission of HIV is possible. Please understand that "possible" does not translate into "likely".

Sexual transmission of HIV is known to be spread through the following three ways:

1) Anal sex, receptive or insertive

2) Vaginal sex, receptive or insertive

3) Oral sex, receptive fellatio or insertive cunnulingus (transmission to the person whose mouth is on the genitals)

If your sexual behavior does not fall into any of the above categories, then it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you will become infected through sexual contact. As you can see, there is no specific evidence that HIV is transmitted through inserting ones fingers into a partner's vagina. Many people bite their fingernails, but there still is no evidence that this has contributed to HIV transmission.

RMK