
Is HIV RNA Qualitative At 6 Weeks Post Exposure,conclusive?

hiv testing, You are safe
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic
I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
hiv rna by pcr is very accurate after 2 weeks of risky sexual contact. This test has a short window period for detection of hiv of about 2 weeks. Therefore a negative test post 2 weeks of a risky sexual contact almost rules out hiv. As you had a negative rna pcr test at 6 weeks post contact, therefore you are negative.
Even though majority of individuals who acquire hiv develop antibodies to it by 4 weeks, however, as the window period of hiv detection with antibody based tests is 12 weeks, therefore antibody test is not taken to be 100% reliable at 6 weeks and a negative antibody test does'nt totally rule out hiv at 6 weeks. Same with a negative antibody test at 10.5 weeks.
To summarise: A negative test for hiv rna test at 6 weeks rules out hiv in your case. However, a negative antibody test at 12 weeks is taken to be conclusive.
Regards


12 weeks testing is advisable
Detailed Answer:
Hi, yes I would recommend testing at 12 weeks to be taken as conclusive. It is very unlikely that a negative test at 10.5 weeks would turn out to be positive at 12 weeks because as I said most of the patients develop antibodies by 1 month.
Moreover your hiv rna test was also negative but this test is not used for diagnosis, it is rather used to monitor viral loads in those who are hiv +.
Anyways a second negative test with an antibody at 12 weeks would be conclusive.
Regards


HIV risk
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
The chances are very less, about 1 in 2500 for insertive vaginal sex and 1 in 1250 for receptive vaginal sex. The chances are the same with genital rubbing, if it is associated with fluid exchange as they are with vaginal contact.
Regards

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