Thank you for providing this service. I'll provide some background. I'm female, from belgium, and i had an unprotected sexual exposure to a man at the end of 2019. It was a one night stand i guess, i do not remember anything about this guy. I don't even remember what he looked like. Anyway, I put this event at the back of my mind and got on with life.

Until this summer. I got diagnosed with oral thrush by my doctor. I am a smoker so maybe that caused it. I had to take dactarin for a week but it didn't go away so the doctor gave me a cocktail of nystatin and other things for a week. After that it went away. I got scared after reading online and decided i had to get tested for hiv. I had a HIV antibody test in the beginning of August, in the late afternoon at my doctor. I specifically asked to only test for HIV, so there was no complete blood count blood test, no CRP test of anything like that. Blood was taken from my vein and sent to a lab. I received the result at something like 3 AM (yes I was awake and waiting for it). Result: HIV negative, and like i asked, HIV was the only thing they tested for.

Thing is, for a few weeks I have a feeling like there is something stuck on the back of my tongue on the left side. Or in my throat, i'm not sure. I can't see anything. Could my HIV antibody test result be false negative and would this feeling of something stuck in my throat or on my tongue be a symptom of HIV?

So my questions:

1) can I be completely certain that I don't have HIV?Can I completely rely on my negative HIV result?

2) does it matter that there was no CBC blood test or no CRP test? Is a HIV antibody test a standalone test?

3) Is there be anything that could affect the accuracy/validity/specificity/sensitivity of a HIV antibody test?

 

Thank you!

Regarding your one night stand long ago, I would not worry. Most persons do not have HIV and less than one and 1000 unprotected sexual exposures to persons who have untreated HIV lead to infection. As a result, your risk for HIV from the encounter you described is very, very low. In addition, 

Hello dr. Hook,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. You are right, i went on google to look for answers, I know I shouldn't do that. I got so scared. I also found out that it's been more than a year and a half ago that I had my third and last covid vaccination. 

Just want to check if I understood everything you said correctly:

1. I can have complete confidence in my HIV antibody-only test result and I don't have HIV. Am I correct?

2. There are no viruses, illnesses, infections,.. that have an influence on the accuracy /validity/ specificity/ sensitivity of a HIV antibody-only test? Am i correct? 

3. No additional blood tests are needed, a HIV antibody-only test is reliable as a standalone test. Am I correct?

4. The thing i feel on the back of my tongue or back of throat is still there, it moves from time to time and sometimes it's like its not there anymore and then it comes back. I can be sure that this is not a symptom of HIV?

5. I really don't want to go back to the doctor to get another HIV antibody-only test. Apparently it's very difficult to get blood drawn from my veins, it usually takes like two doctors and multiple stabbings. Do you think it is necessary, from a medical or scientific point of view, to have another HIV antibody test?

Thank you for your time.

1.  Correct

2.  Correct

3.  Correct

4.  Correct

5.  There is absolutely no need for additional blood tests related to the exposure you described. 

It is time to put your concerns about that exposure behind you and move forward without hesitation. I hope the information I have provided has been helpful to you. EWH.

Hi doctor Hook,

I'd like to make use of my third question, i have a few things to add.

First, when you say there are no viruses have an impact on the accuracy/validity/specificity/sensitivity of a HIV antibody test, the viruses include SARS-CoV-2 right? Just asking because i wasn't tested for SARS-CoV-2 or covid-19 by my doctor or myself when I got my HIV antibody test in August 2023 (I had no SARS-CoV-2 or covid-19 symptoms). Also, my third and last SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was more than a year and a half ago. I don't know which SARS-CoV-2 variant was dominant at the time of my HIV test. 

Secondly, does it matter what kind of HIV antibody test was used? I don't know if it was an ELISA test or something else. 

Last question: 

Can I still move on with my life knowing that I don't have HIV?

Thanks a lot, this will be my last question

As you know, this 3rd response will complete this thread which will be closed later today.  I hope that hte information I have provided has been helpful.  EWH