
Got Shingles During HIV Exposure, Later Heart Attack, Blood Transfusion Causing Delayed Antibodies. Retesting Required?

Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.
Repeated antibody tests negative for HIV at the intervals of 5,6 and 10 months is definitely indicating that you are not infected with HIV. There are people (30-40%) living uninfected with HIV in spite of their regular sex contact with their HIV reactive spouse for years and called as Sero Discordant couple.
So you are fortunate that you are not infected after your high risk sexual contact.
Your medication, heart attack or blood transfusion would not be interfered or delayed the formation of antibodies against HIV. Steroid which you have taken for shingles (short course) may cause a little delay in antibody formation but not as long as more than 6 months.
So you need not worry and you are absolutely free from HIV.
Dr S.Murugan


I want to be sure I give you the right timeline on medicine.I was exposed with hiv while on steroids for 6 days that was in may.I went to Italy in September 4 months later and got the cut.I was on steroids for 6 days in sept. I tested twice one month and then the following week after that in Oct.I waited until march 5 months later and tested again sorry for the second follow up question. I'm I still ok with my testing results.
Welcome back.
I am sure that you are still safe and uninfected by HIV.
For a cut wound no medical doctor will give steroids. So in Italy you would not have received steroids.
Moreover steroids when given for a longer time, say 3-6 months, then it would be likely to interfere with antibody formation. A course of steroids for 6 days and would not at all delay the Antibody formation that too up to 10 months.
So there is no chance for you to have HIV. Your tests are reliable.
Relax and be cheerful.
Dr S.Murugan


Welcome back.
Even a medical store person would never give steroids for a cut wound. Anybody would have given some antibiotic and pain killer.
Even if steroids were given for you at that time for another 6 days it will not interfere the antibody formation.
So still there is no possibility for the test to be a false negative after 10 months. So you need not worry and you are safe,
Dr S.Murugan


Welcome back.
Transmission of HIV through inanimate objects is negligible.
You are already negative for HIV even after 10 months and you have no chance of having HIV.
Sperms and HIV cannot survive over your fingers after two or three minutes.
HIV cannot live outside human body or body fluids after it gets dried. Getting touched the braces of teeth of your son and the possibility of HIV transmission after he washed his braces with running water is absolutely nil.
So there is no possibility of HIV transmission even in case you are having HIV. Whereas if you are not having HIV why you need to worry for odd things and imaginations.
Be Cheerful and relax.
DR S.Murugan


Welcome back.
I can understand your fear. Definitely it has some risk. But the massage parlor would have adequate measures to disinfect the vibrators if it is used for more than once.
But in spite of all these risks your HIV test is persistently nonreactive.
So it is damn sure that you had not been infected . If you had been infected, it would be definitely reflected in your tests.
So forget about that incidence and enjoy your days ahead.
You are free from HIV.
Dr .S. Murugan


Sex toy was introduced into human genitals or anus and is coated with vaginal secretions or anal contamination. This will retain the virus for a longer time, till it gets dried whereas human body will get dried soon and not soaked as sex toy. But whether sex toys or finger, it may be danger when it reused (Repeated usage) with another person.
HIV can be viable in semen or any body fluid as long as it gets dried totally. In razor blade also if it contaminated with blood of another person, it may be infectious up to the blood is wet.
It is all unnecessary for you because your are free from HIV. You can not infect your son through tooth braces
Dr S.Murugan


Just clear this concept from your mind totally.
There is no such possibility that you are a HIV positive person.
Even if we imagine that you are HIV positive, the chances of transmitting the HIV disease to your son by touching his tooth braces with your hand contaminated with your own semen (sperm, you cannot see with your naked eyes and can be seen only under a microscope) is negligible. HIV cannot survive for an hour in your semen stick to either on your penis or over your fingers.
Forget these odds and think of this pleasant day.
Dr S.Murugan

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