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What Do These Following HIV Test Reports Indicate?
Question: Hi Mam,
I had sex with an prostitute in Thailand exactly 67 days ago.
From 4th week - I got rashes and small small pimples, at current now they became dark in color. Most of them came in my chest area.
From 6th week, I started to get fever, I won't be persistent. Some days I will have fever, some days not.
For last 2 days I started getting lymph nodes in neck.
I did multiple tests as follows,
29th day - rapid Test - negative
33rd day - rapid test - negative
33rd day - RT PCR QUANTITATIVE - TARGET NOT DETECTED
43rd day - ELISA - 3rd generation - Non Reactive
49th day - HIV DUO - 4th generation - Non Reactive
56th day - HIV 1and 2 anti bodies - Negative
63rd day - HIV 1 and 2 antibodies - Negative
Now i am in 68 th day. I stopped getting rashes and fever. But started getting lymph nodes.i found 3 in my neck, it's very small in size. For first 2 days my next was paining near to that lymph nodes.now it's not.
Now my life is like a hell...... I can't do anything other than searching about hov in internet.
can I take PCR and duo test conclusive?
My pcr was quantitative, it can check up to 40 copies. I took this at 33rd day, is there a Chance my viral load was lesser than 40 copies in one month.
Do you think I need to take qualitative PCR or DNA PCR?
1.It was a protected sex, I used condom, when she was removing my condom, I saw I was covering my penis head, I hope it wasn't broken.
2. I was kissing her lips for 20 to 30 seconds and kissing in nipples as well.I licked her vagina as a part of intercourse, this is actually worrying me a lot.
3. I didn't penetrated into her, we tried different styles of sex, but I wasn't comfortable, so she removed by condom and masturbated me with her hands.
she cleaned her vagina before sex and she put lubricant oil after put condom on my penis, will this oil make any issue.
I had sex with an prostitute in Thailand exactly 67 days ago.
From 4th week - I got rashes and small small pimples, at current now they became dark in color. Most of them came in my chest area.
From 6th week, I started to get fever, I won't be persistent. Some days I will have fever, some days not.
For last 2 days I started getting lymph nodes in neck.
I did multiple tests as follows,
29th day - rapid Test - negative
33rd day - rapid test - negative
33rd day - RT PCR QUANTITATIVE - TARGET NOT DETECTED
43rd day - ELISA - 3rd generation - Non Reactive
49th day - HIV DUO - 4th generation - Non Reactive
56th day - HIV 1and 2 anti bodies - Negative
63rd day - HIV 1 and 2 antibodies - Negative
Now i am in 68 th day. I stopped getting rashes and fever. But started getting lymph nodes.i found 3 in my neck, it's very small in size. For first 2 days my next was paining near to that lymph nodes.now it's not.
Now my life is like a hell...... I can't do anything other than searching about hov in internet.
can I take PCR and duo test conclusive?
My pcr was quantitative, it can check up to 40 copies. I took this at 33rd day, is there a Chance my viral load was lesser than 40 copies in one month.
Do you think I need to take qualitative PCR or DNA PCR?
1.It was a protected sex, I used condom, when she was removing my condom, I saw I was covering my penis head, I hope it wasn't broken.
2. I was kissing her lips for 20 to 30 seconds and kissing in nipples as well.I licked her vagina as a part of intercourse, this is actually worrying me a lot.
3. I didn't penetrated into her, we tried different styles of sex, but I wasn't comfortable, so she removed by condom and masturbated me with her hands.
she cleaned her vagina before sex and she put lubricant oil after put condom on my penis, will this oil make any issue.
Brief Answer:
No further testing for HIV required
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome to health care magic.
I have gone through your detailed query and I can understand the anxiety and stress you are going through because of your suspicion of exposure to HIV.
First of all, relax, because you are most unlikely to have had any exposure as you had used a condom during intercourse in the mentioned episode in your query.
Next, there are so many websites on the internet that give information on HIV which may not be authentic. I would suggest you trust your treating doctor for advise rather than going on the net.
You are HIV negative based on the test results mentioned in your query.
PCR is one of the most specific tests to detect HIV during early exposure. If your PCR test results are negative, you are definitely negative.
Moreover, all your symptoms seem to be non specific which have occurred due to stress and I find them not significant.
I suggest you quit worrying and I assure you that you do not require any further testing to confirm your HIV status.
Quit getting anxious about that episode and make sure you take precautions in the future to avoid such stress.
I hope I have been able to clear your doubts.
Please get back if any more queries.
Thanks.
Wishing you a healthy future.
No further testing for HIV required
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome to health care magic.
I have gone through your detailed query and I can understand the anxiety and stress you are going through because of your suspicion of exposure to HIV.
First of all, relax, because you are most unlikely to have had any exposure as you had used a condom during intercourse in the mentioned episode in your query.
Next, there are so many websites on the internet that give information on HIV which may not be authentic. I would suggest you trust your treating doctor for advise rather than going on the net.
You are HIV negative based on the test results mentioned in your query.
PCR is one of the most specific tests to detect HIV during early exposure. If your PCR test results are negative, you are definitely negative.
Moreover, all your symptoms seem to be non specific which have occurred due to stress and I find them not significant.
I suggest you quit worrying and I assure you that you do not require any further testing to confirm your HIV status.
Quit getting anxious about that episode and make sure you take precautions in the future to avoid such stress.
I hope I have been able to clear your doubts.
Please get back if any more queries.
Thanks.
Wishing you a healthy future.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Hi,
Thanks a lot Mam, your response means a lot.
Today again I got rashes in back of my neck and in shoulder, this almost made me to cry. I never used to get this kind of rashes before.
1. can seroconversion happen this much late (I am in 10th week)
2. can seroconversion lasts for 5 weeks, ( from 5th week till 10week)
3. please tell me one thing, if all this symptoms are related to HIV then by this time I should have got atleast one positive result? am I correct?
4. I have done PCR on 33rd, by that is there any chance I would have got less than 40 copies of virus in my blood.
5.something is really happening in my body, I cant find out what is that (if it is not related to HIV)
Thanks,
XXXX
Thanks a lot Mam, your response means a lot.
Today again I got rashes in back of my neck and in shoulder, this almost made me to cry. I never used to get this kind of rashes before.
1. can seroconversion happen this much late (I am in 10th week)
2. can seroconversion lasts for 5 weeks, ( from 5th week till 10week)
3. please tell me one thing, if all this symptoms are related to HIV then by this time I should have got atleast one positive result? am I correct?
4. I have done PCR on 33rd, by that is there any chance I would have got less than 40 copies of virus in my blood.
5.something is really happening in my body, I cant find out what is that (if it is not related to HIV)
Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
No need for worry, you are definitely HIV negative
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome back.
I am glad I was able to convince you about your HIV status.
Now, coming to your queries.
Rashes could be occurring due to many reasons, most common being allergies.
Also, as it is summer, many of them get miliaria or sweat rashes which are common in areas with more sweat glands like arm pits, neck, back, thigh folds.
Prickly heat powder will suffice for such rashes. If these rashes do not reduce within a day or two, you need to get them examined by a skin specialist to rule out other causes of the rashes.
Before I go ahead and answer your other queries, I would like to elaborate few details about HIV and its pathogenesis in the human body.
HIV is Human immunodeficiency virus, an RNA virus and is found in secretions of infected HIV individual. Vaginal secretions,semen and blood of HIV infected are very rich in HIV particles.
Hence, most common route of infection is sexual intercourse. HIV gains entry into the body through minor abrasions caused in the genital membranes during intercourse.
Once it enters the body, it is taken up by macrophages which carry it to the local lymph nodes. In the lymph nodes, the virus multiplies in T cells and gets spilled over in the blood. This takes about 4-11 days. Hence testing for HIV in blood sample can be done only after 4 days of exposure.
Once the HIV reaches the blood, it starts infecting the other T cells present in the blood. Human body starts producing antibodies against HIV after 3 weeks of exposure. This is called seroconversion. This takes place from 3 weeks to 3 months varying on the immune status of the individual. Hence HIV testing for antibodies should be done only after 3 weeks.
Answers to your queries are as follows:
1. Seroconversion, as I mentioned earlier, takes place from 3 weeks to 3 months. An individual with a stronger immune system will produce antibodies faster. Hence this period is considered as window period where false negative results can occur. So, antibodies for HIV are confirmed by doing another test on 100th day of exposure to rule out window period.
2. Once antibodies are produced against HIV they can be detected until the last stage of AIDS.
3. I have mentioned in my previous reply that your symptoms are very non specific and I do not find them significant. If you had been infected with HIV, you should have got a positive PCR result by now.
4. PCR first detects the target DNA present in the sample to make it 40 copies for confirmation. It does not mean that you have less than 40 copies.
Hence PCR is one of the most sensitive and specific test for HIV detection during early exposure. It is also one of the preferred tests to detect HIV during window period.
5. You are getting very anxious about that episode which might be affecting you and causing stress related symptoms.
I suggest you practice some relaxation techniques to get rid of your anxiety.
Many of the patients I have seen also suffer from guilt of having done something wrong.
I will again stress on the importance of avoiding similar situations and usage of protection. Any sexual intercourse (outside of mutually monogamous HIV antibody-negative relationships) should be protected by a condom.
No need for worry, you are definitely HIV negative.
I hope I have cleared all your doubts.
Please do not hesitate to get back if any more queries.
Thanks.
No need for worry, you are definitely HIV negative
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome back.
I am glad I was able to convince you about your HIV status.
Now, coming to your queries.
Rashes could be occurring due to many reasons, most common being allergies.
Also, as it is summer, many of them get miliaria or sweat rashes which are common in areas with more sweat glands like arm pits, neck, back, thigh folds.
Prickly heat powder will suffice for such rashes. If these rashes do not reduce within a day or two, you need to get them examined by a skin specialist to rule out other causes of the rashes.
Before I go ahead and answer your other queries, I would like to elaborate few details about HIV and its pathogenesis in the human body.
HIV is Human immunodeficiency virus, an RNA virus and is found in secretions of infected HIV individual. Vaginal secretions,semen and blood of HIV infected are very rich in HIV particles.
Hence, most common route of infection is sexual intercourse. HIV gains entry into the body through minor abrasions caused in the genital membranes during intercourse.
Once it enters the body, it is taken up by macrophages which carry it to the local lymph nodes. In the lymph nodes, the virus multiplies in T cells and gets spilled over in the blood. This takes about 4-11 days. Hence testing for HIV in blood sample can be done only after 4 days of exposure.
Once the HIV reaches the blood, it starts infecting the other T cells present in the blood. Human body starts producing antibodies against HIV after 3 weeks of exposure. This is called seroconversion. This takes place from 3 weeks to 3 months varying on the immune status of the individual. Hence HIV testing for antibodies should be done only after 3 weeks.
Answers to your queries are as follows:
1. Seroconversion, as I mentioned earlier, takes place from 3 weeks to 3 months. An individual with a stronger immune system will produce antibodies faster. Hence this period is considered as window period where false negative results can occur. So, antibodies for HIV are confirmed by doing another test on 100th day of exposure to rule out window period.
2. Once antibodies are produced against HIV they can be detected until the last stage of AIDS.
3. I have mentioned in my previous reply that your symptoms are very non specific and I do not find them significant. If you had been infected with HIV, you should have got a positive PCR result by now.
4. PCR first detects the target DNA present in the sample to make it 40 copies for confirmation. It does not mean that you have less than 40 copies.
Hence PCR is one of the most sensitive and specific test for HIV detection during early exposure. It is also one of the preferred tests to detect HIV during window period.
5. You are getting very anxious about that episode which might be affecting you and causing stress related symptoms.
I suggest you practice some relaxation techniques to get rid of your anxiety.
Many of the patients I have seen also suffer from guilt of having done something wrong.
I will again stress on the importance of avoiding similar situations and usage of protection. Any sexual intercourse (outside of mutually monogamous HIV antibody-negative relationships) should be protected by a condom.
No need for worry, you are definitely HIV negative.
I hope I have cleared all your doubts.
Please do not hesitate to get back if any more queries.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thanks a lot mam, I am 70 th day now. Today I took Elisa and came back negative.
When do you prefer me to take confirmatory test as below and which test can I take?
12 weeks - 84th day
13 weeks - 90th day
When do you prefer me to take confirmatory test as below and which test can I take?
12 weeks - 84th day
13 weeks - 90th day
Brief Answer:
Get a fourth generation ELISA on 100th day
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome back.
If you are persistent and want to get a test done, then I would suggest a fourth generation ELISA for HIV 1 and 2 on the 100th day for confirmation.
Mind you, this test is being suggested for final confirmation of your HIV status.
I hope I have been able to help you with my answers.
Wishing you good luck and good health,
Thanks.
Get a fourth generation ELISA on 100th day
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Welcome back.
If you are persistent and want to get a test done, then I would suggest a fourth generation ELISA for HIV 1 and 2 on the 100th day for confirmation.
Mind you, this test is being suggested for final confirmation of your HIV status.
I hope I have been able to help you with my answers.
Wishing you good luck and good health,
Thanks.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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