Do Current 3rd And 4th Generations Find The New Strain

Posted on Mon, 2 Dec 2019

Question: do current 3rd and 4th generations find the new strain of hiv that was discovered last week ? or will those existing tests be null and void . my 2 rapid tests and my partners 4th generation test were all negative , but now I am worried about the new discovery what about with the 2 rapid tests I have had ? the insti test and the chembio test

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
After window period negative tests ruled out HIV infection

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Ask A Doctor.
Thanks for posting your query.
Little is known about the new strain of HIV. It is not a major type. It is just a deviation from subtype M identified as subtype L of HIV 1.
Its prevalence is not being assessed. We usually not detecting the subtypes in HIV testing. Treatment aspects also there is not much difference among subtypes. We used to differentiate either HIV 1 or 2 only.
When your HIV Rapid tests were Non-reactive after window period ruled out HIV infection and the non reactive 4th generation HIV Combo test for your partner also confirmed the same.
Dr S Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (45 minutes later)

yes my tests were over 90 days after. is that out of the window period ?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are free from HIV infection

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.

Sero-conversion in a normal incompetent individual never exceeds 12 weeks after the exposure. So your nonreactive HIV test by 90 days was well beyond the window period.

You need not worry about HIV. Just avoid unprotected sex in the future.

Dr. S. Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (12 hours later)

so it would have even caught the "new" strain?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are free from HIV

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Yes it could eliminate the possibility of HIV including the new strain also.
Dr S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 minute later)

so it DOES eliminate the new strain ?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yet to receive more details about the new strain

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As I mentioned already not much has been revealed about the new strain. As it is a subtype of HIV 1 and not other than HIV 1&2, it could also have been detected with the existing tests to my knowledge. More details and information yet to come.
Dr S Murugan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T