Oral Sex and STDs

I hate to be a ducky downer but the news is not all bad.

HIV / AIDS

Reports vary, but there is significant evidence that HIV cannot easily be transmitted orally. HIV is very difficult to transmit orally. After a study performed on 239 gay/bisexual men, 28% of whom knew their partners were HIV positive, not one reported transmission of the virus. HIV is next to impossible to be transmitted orally.

Further research in Spain followed 110 women and 25 men who were all healthy (HIV-negative) and who had HIV-positive partners for 10 years, and not one of them reported transmission. It appears from this research that HIV is not a significant risk with oral sex. It is important to note however that HIV has reportedly been transmitted through anal sexual contact, making oral-anal contact suspect, especially if open sores or lesions are present.


HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)

This infection may have been shown to be transmitted orally, as it is highly infectious when warts are present. It will generally form what look like warts on or near the genitals of both sexes. They may be more difficult to identify on women than men because they may appear on the cervix (inside the vagina) of women. They can also develop around the anus, making anal-oral contact questionable. Although there is little clinical evidence of oral transmission, the warts shed the virus and any form of contact with them should be avoided if possible.


Hepatitis

This group (Hepatitis A, B, and C) are most often transmitted between intravenous drug users. There is very limited evidence that they may be orally transmissible.

Syphilis

While most experts agree that there is a risk of transmission of syphilis through oral-genital contact, it is difficult to quantify at this point. Ulcers or chancres are present when the disease is active, so if any open sores are visible around or near the mouth or genitals, once again, even oral sexual contact should be avoided.


Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)

It is the most likely cause of ulcers in the genital area (small blisters on the penis or vulva). It has occasionally been reported to have been transmitted by oral sex, however it seems those are misrepresented cases of oral, not genatal herpes. When open ulcers are present, transmission risk becomes far greater.


Chlamydia

This disease is another without adequate study to conclude its rate of transmission via oral sex. The disease looks different for men and women. To women it can look like pelvic infection or fertility issues, with outside symptoms showing at a minimum or not at all. To men it involves pain and fluid discharge (leaking fluids) from the urethra. Again, there is little evidence thus far of infection by oral sex. If symptoms appear, it is probably better to avoid all sexual contact until it is looked at by a physician.


Safety Precautions

The most obvious method of protection is to avoid contact with partners (especially new partners) who have obvious breaks in the skin of their mouth or genitals. Any form of skin opening, wart, chancre, blister, or ulcer in either the mouth or pelvic region is a clear sign that something may be wrong, and that even oral should be avoided until it is looked into.


Conclusions about oral sexual safety

Oral sex is arguably (and now also clinically) safer than traditional sexual contact.