Wondering about information received from an honest escort

[Guest]

An honest escort I had recently had sex with notified me that, as part of his routine every 3 months STD checking, he tested positive for Chlamydia in his rectum. He advertises as one who only does safe sex. He has his rectum, urethra, and throat all checked at the same time (along with blood tests for syphilis and HIV), and this was the only positive test. I'm not too worried about myself. My only insertion into his rectum was a sheathed penis, and that was all we did (other than kissing). But it made me wonder about how careful he is about safer sex. He states that he thinks it happened due to fingering, with some pre-cum that may have made it on the fingers. Have any of you had similar experiences? Do you know anyone who always uses condoms, yet got chlamydia or the clap? I must say, however, that I give that escort 3 gold stars for both his conscientiousness at regular testing, and his extreme honesty in contacting all of his clients since the previous 3 month check-up, even though it could turn off some clients. In my case, though, it turned me on, since I was very impressed with his honest and thoughtful behavior.

What makes me especially curious, is that I've probably had sex with 1000 men in my life, and never caught a damned thing except scabies once (and, needless to say, I have had sex with some fairly high-risk partners). Of course, I don't suppose kissing and topping with condoms puts one at much of a risk for anything except catching some colds. But am I just really lucky?

[Guest ChrisW]

Unicorn you can get chlamydia from rimming.

 

As for getting tested I think sex workers should go in a bit more often than your average person because we have more exposure to people. I go in about once a month.

 

Given the number of sexual partners you have had I am surprised that you haven't picked anything up other than scabies along the way. Remember that unless your using a condom for oral sex you can get stuff in your throat too. There are some STI's that are transmitted from skin to skin contact as well.

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

Kudos to the escort for being tested and communicating the outcome to you. IMHO he's making an assumption about the method of transmission since many people with STDs are asymptomatic. Unless he's able to pinpoint the exact time he contracted C, it's unlikely he will know for sure.

 

And there isn't much point in playing safe with condoms and getting fingered with cummy digits, unless he has a backup plan (Prep) or is + already. Of course, exposure to a disease doesn't mean automatic transmission, either.

[Steven_Draker]

You're being naive if you think that every person who tells you that he plays safe is actually playing safe. You don't know what his past sexual history actually is.

 

his extreme honesty in contacting all of his clients

 

When someone is diagnosed with a STI, the standard procedure recommended by the clinic is to alert all past sexual partners. He did the right thing.

 

needless to say, I have had sex with some fairly high-risk partners

 

There's "risky" and "risky". If you bareback your risk of catching a STD increases exponentially!

 

Finally, having an STI increases the risk of HIV transmission regardless of whether it is the HIV-positive partner or the HIV-negative partner who has the STI.

 

http://www.catie.ca/en/fact-sheets/epidemiology/sexually-transmitted-infections-and-hiv-transmission

 

Stay safe and healthy!

[rvwnsd]

An honest escort I had recently had sex with notified me that, as part of his routine every 3 months STD checking, he tested positive for Chlamydia in his rectum. He advertises as one who only does safe sex. He has his rectum, urethra, and throat all checked at the same time (along with blood tests for syphilis and HIV), and this was the only positive test.

 

As Chris pointed out, there are several ways to acquire chlamydia, including from oral sex and being rimmed.

 

I'm not too worried about myself. My only insertion into his rectum was a sheathed penis, and that was all we did (other than kissing). But it made me wonder about how careful he is about safer sex. He states that he thinks it happened due to fingering, with some pre-cum that may have made it on the fingers. Have any of you had similar experiences? Do you know anyone who always uses condoms, yet got chlamydia or the clap?

 

For me, personally, the acquisition of chlamydia does not automatically make me suspect he engages in unprotected anal sex. As I stated above, it can be acquired through oral sex. In fact, a friend who only practices oral sex contracted chlamydia.

 

 

...What makes me especially curious, is that I've probably had sex with 1000 men in my life, and never caught a damned thing except scabies once (and, needless to say, I have had sex with some fairly high-risk partners). Of course, I don't suppose kissing and topping with condoms puts one at much of a risk for anything except catching some colds. But am I just really lucky?

 

There is risk associated with everything we do, including having protected sex. The reading I've done regarding STD transmission via kissing indicates there is little to no evidence that chlamydia or gonorrhea has been transmitted in that way, but diseases such as herpes and mono can and often are transmitted through kissing. However, many STDs can be transmitted via oral sex.

 

I recently turned 50 years old and have managed to remain HIV negative and STD-free so far. Is that the result of luck? Perhaps. I prefer to think it is the result of consciously thinking about my overall health, of which sexual health and STD avoidance are two components. I've had sex with guys I know to be HIV positive and have had sex with guys who have stated are HIV negative. As an asthmatic, breathing polluted air is far riskier to my health than giving a blow job to someone. Why? Because an asthma attack can be fatal. A blow job can result in the transmission of an STD, but by paying attention to a guy's penis before sucking it I can look for symptoms of gonorrhea (for example) and avoid transmission if I detect symptoms by not sucking him. Unlike STDs, which are treatable, fatal asthma attacks can't be treated, mainly because we have not developed the ability to resurrect the dead.

 

The short-form answer is to get tested frequently, know the risks associated with the behaviors you practice, and understand the level of risk you are willing to accept.

[Guest ChrisW]

. A blow job can result in the transmission of an STD, but by paying attention to a guy's penis before sucking it I can look for symptoms of gonorrhea (for example) and avoid transmission if I detect symptoms by not sucking him.

 

When you have an STI in your penis there is a 1 in 2000 chance you won't have visible symptoms, rvwnsd is spot on. I know its tempting when you see a big piece of meat to stuff it down your throat (I am totally guilty of this) but just take a quick look for discharge or a funky smell. Also if you see scar tissue there is a chance that the guy may have had a herpes outbreak. If you ever see something unusual on someones genitals always ask whats going on for your safety and theirs

 

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/014/033/knowing.jpg

[Rudynate]

As Chris pointed out, there are several ways to acquire chlamydia, including from oral sex and being rimmed.

 

 

 

For me, personally, the acquisition of chlamydia does not automatically make me suspect he engages in unprotected anal sex. As I stated above, it can be acquired through oral sex. In fact, a friend who only practices oral sex contracted chlamydia.

 

 

 

 

There is risk associated with everything we do, including having protected sex. The reading I've done regarding STD transmission via kissing indicates there is little to no evidence that chlamydia or gonorrhea has been transmitted in that way, but diseases such as herpes and mono can and often are transmitted through kissing. However, many STDs can be transmitted via oral sex.

 

I recently turned 50 years old and have managed to remain HIV negative and STD-free so far. Is that the result of luck? Perhaps. I prefer to think it is the result of consciously thinking about my overall health, of which sexual health and STD avoidance are two components. I've had sex with guys I know to be HIV positive and have had sex with guys who have stated are HIV negative. As an asthmatic, breathing polluted air is far riskier to my health than giving a blow job to someone. Why? Because an asthma attack can be fatal. A blow job can result in the transmission of an STD, but by paying attention to a guy's penis before sucking it I can look for symptoms of gonorrhea (for example) and avoid transmission if I detect symptoms by not sucking him. Unlike STDs, which are treatable, fatal asthma attacks can't be treated, mainly because we have not developed the ability to resurrect the dead.

 

The short-form answer is to get tested frequently, know the risks associated with the behaviors you practice, and understand the level of risk you are willing to accept.

 

Back in the day, I caught repeated bouts of NGU (non-gonococcal urethritis), which is usually caused by chlamydia, from receiving oral sex without a condom.

[buckguy]

You can get chlamydia from any kind of oral/genital encounter. NGU is basically the old name for chlamydia in men.

[+ ArVaGuy]

http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-and-men.htm

 

Not mentioned in this discussion is the Human PapillomaVirus (HPV). Gay men are 17 times more likely to contract this STD than straights. Genital warts are the most common result. But this virus can lead to anal cancer and other types of cancer. [h=3][/h]

[Guest ChrisW]

http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-and-men.htm

 

Not mentioned in this discussion is the Human PapillomaVirus (HPV). Gay men are 17 times more likely to contract this STD than straights. Genital warts are the most common result. But this virus can lead to anal cancer and other types of cancer. [h=3][/h]

 

On that note go in and get checked out for anal dysplasia every couple years if your a sexually active gay man

[Rod Hagen]

This subject of grades of susceptibility interests me. The other day I was with someone who could not have been more perfectly suited to me: he kissed with REAL gusto and was a fantastic cuddler, the 2 things I love most.

 

He wanted condoms for oral, giving and receiving.

 

This is not a criticism, because everyone has their own specific concerns, I simply wonder if people who prefer condoms for oral, but LOVE kissing deep, know that that wonderful passionate kissing is also, unfortunately, a portal for those same, non-HIV, critters the condom does such a good job keeping out?

 

We didn't talk much :-) so next time I'll ask him. But I wonder if in general smart men like him know that deep kissing is even a risk? Do you think people do?

 

And Unicorn, maybe you can answer this, you have medical smarts: is kissing a significantly lesser gateway for "critters" compared to oral sex?

[Guest]

And Unicorn, maybe you can answer this, you have medical smarts: is kissing a significantly lesser gateway for "critters" compared to oral sex?

 

One of the reasons I was concerned is that Chlamydia, unlike gonorrhea, is NOT usually found in the throat, where the epithelium (surface tissue) is squamous, unlike the urethra, rectum, cervix, and eye, the other places Chlamydia are found. So I would not really expect it to be transmitted by rimming someone. I suppose one could get it from fingering after getting pre-cum on one's fingers. It's probably possible to get gonorrhea from kissing, because GC does live for some time in the throat, but I haven't really heard of kissing as a way gonorrhea is transmitted, although it would make some sense. Both of these bacteria tend to spend their time inside human cells, which is probably why they don't live too long in the throat and don't seem to be transmitted by kissing.

[Rod Hagen]

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a capnophile and capnophiles THRIVE in the throat, all that delicious CO2. Oh No! No more kissing. Yeah, right :-)