Patient's question:
Last September, there was an instance of unprotected sex, and I was wearing a condom at the time. Four months later, I experienced shingles again. Could this be HIV?Doctor's answer:
There was an instance of unprotected sex in early September, but a condom was used, so the likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted disease is generally low! Currently, shingles has reappeared, which is an acute infectious skin disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, and it has nothing to do with HIV! If you are concerned about the adequacy of your protective measures at the time, now is more than three months since the high-risk sexual activity, which is beyond the window period. You can consider getting a blood test for HIV antibodies. If the result is negative, HIV can be ruled out! You can focus on treating the shingles, drink plenty of water, eat more fruits and vegetables, and avoid scratching.