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Is A Cyst In Armpit A Symptom Of HIV?
Question: I had unprotected sex about 5 weeks ago. I don't know if my partner is Hiv positive. 2 weeks ago I saw md due to cyst on my armpit. I was given Abt, and I did drain the cyst myself, it took several days. ( I was told not to). I continued to try to remove fluid as there was still a very small lump, it was just about gone. Now for the past 2 days another one has showed up, I've drained a very small amount of pus, it's not as painful as the first one. Is this A sign of HIV?
Brief Answer:
Acute HIV infection to be ruled out
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
There are two parts to your query.
1. Do you have HIV which is recently acquired?
2. Why did the cyst reappear and is that due to HIV?
1. HIV screening is required to tell if you have acquired the infection. There are many types of tests depending on the situation and time since exposure to a potentially HIV positive partner.
Unless you get the tests done, it is not possible to confirm your HIV negative status. In the early stages after two weeks, the PCR RNA test is recommended to check the presence of actual viral particles and this test is 99.89 percent accurate. Whatever be the result of PCR RNA, the person is advised to take another test after 3 months, this is done by ELISA or ELFA method and checks for antibodies. If this is also negative then the test can be repeated again after 6 months to confirm that the person is not infected.
As you have been with a partner of questionable HIV status, I recommend that you please get tested as per the above mentioned methods and confirm your HIV negative status.
2. The cyst might be a bacterial infection in a benign cyst. Keflex 500mg is a good medicine and treats most infections.
(i) You are having symptoms of acute HIV infection
(ii) It might have happened that while draining the pus, you inserted another infection and that the bacteria proliferated in spite of taking medicine.
(iii) Another possibility is that it might be that the infective organism is resistant and this can only be known by doing a pus culture.
(iv) Lastly, it can be that the infected cyst was not completely treated.
Acute infection in HIV can presnt with following symptoms
rash
decreased appetite
fever
headache
fatigue
malaise, or a general "unwell" feeling
sore throat
night sweats
ulcers that appear in the mouth, esophagus, or genitals
swollen lymph nodes
muscle aches
Acute HIV infection should be ruled out in you because you are having symptoms like swollen lymphnodes in armpit as early as 5 weeks.
However it is also possible that you are not infected by HIV. Please consult your doctor for HIV test detail and get confirmed.
Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Acute HIV infection to be ruled out
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
There are two parts to your query.
1. Do you have HIV which is recently acquired?
2. Why did the cyst reappear and is that due to HIV?
1. HIV screening is required to tell if you have acquired the infection. There are many types of tests depending on the situation and time since exposure to a potentially HIV positive partner.
Unless you get the tests done, it is not possible to confirm your HIV negative status. In the early stages after two weeks, the PCR RNA test is recommended to check the presence of actual viral particles and this test is 99.89 percent accurate. Whatever be the result of PCR RNA, the person is advised to take another test after 3 months, this is done by ELISA or ELFA method and checks for antibodies. If this is also negative then the test can be repeated again after 6 months to confirm that the person is not infected.
As you have been with a partner of questionable HIV status, I recommend that you please get tested as per the above mentioned methods and confirm your HIV negative status.
2. The cyst might be a bacterial infection in a benign cyst. Keflex 500mg is a good medicine and treats most infections.
(i) You are having symptoms of acute HIV infection
(ii) It might have happened that while draining the pus, you inserted another infection and that the bacteria proliferated in spite of taking medicine.
(iii) Another possibility is that it might be that the infective organism is resistant and this can only be known by doing a pus culture.
(iv) Lastly, it can be that the infected cyst was not completely treated.
Acute infection in HIV can presnt with following symptoms
rash
decreased appetite
fever
headache
fatigue
malaise, or a general "unwell" feeling
sore throat
night sweats
ulcers that appear in the mouth, esophagus, or genitals
swollen lymph nodes
muscle aches
Acute HIV infection should be ruled out in you because you are having symptoms like swollen lymphnodes in armpit as early as 5 weeks.
However it is also possible that you are not infected by HIV. Please consult your doctor for HIV test detail and get confirmed.
Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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