[Question #10616] HIV RISK and RNA test
21 months ago
|
Hello! 11 days ago I had a sexual encounter with a sex worker. We used a condom for the vaginal intercourse and I received unprotected oral sex. The thing is: at some time vaginal fluid reached my pubic area which was trimmed some hours before, so it had small cuts. What are the chances I could get HIV if she was HIV positive? I made a RNA test for HIV after 10 days and it was negativa. But I am still worried.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
21 months ago
|
Welcome to the forum and thanks for your question.
You describe a near zero risk exposure in regard to HIV, as well as other STIs. Most sex workers do not have HIV, and when they do, even without a condom the chance of transmission from a single episode of unprotected vaginal see is around once for every 2,500 encounters; with a condom it is near zero, and getting vaginal fluid on pubic area skin -- even with recent shaving -- is zero risk. Oral sex also is zero risk for all practical purposes.
Finally, your negative RNA test at 11 days is 90-95% reliable. That does not mean there is a 5-10% chance you have HIV. Before being tested, the chance you had caught HIV probably was no higher than one chance in 250,000. With your negative test result, 90% reliability means the possibility you have HIV is now about one in 2.5 million. For 100% certainty, also have an AgAb (4th generation) blood test 4 weeks after the exposure. The negative result will make it certain you didn't catch HIV.
So all is well. Perhaps you also would like to know that in the 20 years of this and our preceding forum, with thousands of questions from people worried about possible HIV exposure, not one forum user has yet reported that they eventually tested positive. You won't be the first!
I hope these comments help you move on without worry! Let me know if anything isn't clear.
HHH, MD
---
21 months ago
|
I said the test was made at 10 days, more exactly 9 days, 14 hours, and 51 minutes. Is still that accurate? I'm having some symptons like muscle points, joint pain, sore throat and the anxiety is too much for me to wait for 4 weeks. I'm planning to do a new RNA and a 4th generation test after 17 days. If they are both negative, the result would be conclusive?
21 months ago
|
muscle pain*
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
21 months ago
|
It is not possible to have symptoms of an HIV infection and to test negative. Even though your first RNA test was a bit early, and does not prove you didn't catch HIV (without symptoms), it DOES prove 100% that your symptoms are not due to ARS/HIV. Feel free to test again, as you are planning to do. The negative results on both tests will be nearly conclusive. For truly conclusive results, you'll need another AgAb (4th generation) blood test 4 weeks after the exposure.---
---
---
21 months ago
|
Hello! I made another RNA test at 12 days, 16 hours, and 14 minutes after exposure and it come back negative. How reliable it is? And in this situation what are the next steps to be 100% sure I didn't catch HIV?
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
21 months ago
|
As discussed above, this result further proves your symptoms are not caused by HIV. It's around 98% conclusive for infection itself. I already gave you the information for conclusive testing at 4 weeks with an AgAb test (see my initial reply, paragraph starting with "Finally...").
That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe (as you were for this exposure!).
---