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Found Fluctuating Index Value With Different HIV Test. Am I Infected With HIV?

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Posted on Fri, 15 Mar 2013
Question: hi last week my reports came with hiv index value 8.46 and western blot was negative my doctor called me and told me to do test again then i have been tested again which reports came back the same but the index value is high like 19.26 then my doctor told me to do viral load and cd4 test i am waiting for results please i am confused i am 29 yrs old and my husband is 31we are married last since 1 and half year in pregnany they did the test but it was negative it was on july how come positive please please help me out.. with this i am worried i have dughter of 3 months i am confused
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 hour later)
Hi XXXXXXX

Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.

You had mentioned the index value of your HIV test. But every test will have a cut off reference value. It may differ from test to test according to the product and indicated by the manufacturers. Only with that reference value one can able to interpret your test result.
As the Western Blot is negative for you, it is very unlikely for you to have HIV.
Do you have any history of blood transfusion? Have they checked the blood of your husband?
Nowadays HIV is not dreadful and life threatening condition. It is like any other disease. There are good number of drugs available to treat HIV and one can live positively with HIV, decent and comfortable life without much problem for more than thirty years. In the year ahead a complete curable drug may likely to emerge at any time. So there is nothing to worry. There are wonderful drugs available to prevent the mother to child transmission of HIV also.
Relax and feel better.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (49 minutes later)
thank you very much dr s XXXXXXX . can u please chceck my reports i just attached and please let me know whats going on with the report and my dr said if the next test results comes the same we have to check u r husband blood i dont think we have HIV because we are religious and follow sunnah i mean we are strictly religious and we dont go here and ther like u know what i mean but i was hospitalised for two are three times because of anemia.. i got some fluids and treatment thats it... can u please check my reports once agai thank you we are little bit relax with u r answers....
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (4 hours later)
Hi,
Welcome back.

You had tested by method of ICMA. It indicates HIV reactive. But Western Blot is more confirmatory which was negative for you. False positive results with Antibody test may be possible in pregnancy and with certain illness.

Transmission of HIV, through hospital admission and fluid transmission are not a common entity. You can go for Antigen test like DNA PCR which will be more reliable and confirmatory. As your physician ordered for Viral load test, you can wait for the same. But it may come like viral load below undetectable level and difficult to interpret. DNA PCR will be more useful in this situation.
Good luck to you.
Dr S.Murugan


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 hour later)
Thanks again
We have question regarding index value certain illness like what type of illness basically still we are confused its means I am a hiv patient or its begning stage or I done have hiv still confused please cab u explain me detail my dr said the same thing what u said its about western blot test.. So hiv reactive means what.. Thank you so much it is helping us..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (4 hours later)
Hi,

I can understand your concern.

HIV reactive means HIV positive. Rather than all discussions, especially in your case, we have to wait and see the results of viral load and CD4 count and come to a conclusion according to the outcome of the test results. Till then nothing will be conclusive.

Regarding the false positive results, certain autoimmune disorders like Rhematoid Arthritis, Systemic lupus Erythematosis, Hashimato's Thyroiditis and multiple pregnancies, repeated blood transfusions, Recent vaccinations, substance abuse,repeated hemo-dialysis can produce false positive results. That is some protein material common with these diseases and HIV can produce similar antibodies and it is the reason for false positive results.
So don't get tension and unnecessary confusion. Your results of viral load and CD4 count will reveal the situation.

Dr S XXXXXXX
Note: Get personalized answers to your HIV related queries You can choose to talk face to face with your doctor. Book a Video Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan

HIV AIDS Specialist

Practicing since :1974

Answered : 3108 Questions

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Found Fluctuating Index Value With Different HIV Test. Am I Infected With HIV?

Hi XXXXXXX

Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.

You had mentioned the index value of your HIV test. But every test will have a cut off reference value. It may differ from test to test according to the product and indicated by the manufacturers. Only with that reference value one can able to interpret your test result.
As the Western Blot is negative for you, it is very unlikely for you to have HIV.
Do you have any history of blood transfusion? Have they checked the blood of your husband?
Nowadays HIV is not dreadful and life threatening condition. It is like any other disease. There are good number of drugs available to treat HIV and one can live positively with HIV, decent and comfortable life without much problem for more than thirty years. In the year ahead a complete curable drug may likely to emerge at any time. So there is nothing to worry. There are wonderful drugs available to prevent the mother to child transmission of HIV also.
Relax and feel better.
Dr S.Murugan