[Question #11031] Do I need Rna test
17 months ago
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Dear Drs,
I haven't engaged in sexual activities for 2 or 3 years. I have done four 4th generation hiv test since 1/19. However, I heard about the seronegative thing. I don't know if I still need a Rna test since any sexual activity in the past was 2 or 3 years ago. I have Periodontitis and oral ulcer which makes me feel hard to believe my negative result.
17 months ago
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Will the antigen part of my 4th generation test be positive even if my body can't produce enough antibody (since the infection was 2 or 3 years ago, a long time)?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
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Welcome back, but I'm sorry you found it necessary.
I reviewed your two recent discussions with Dr. Hook and agree with all he said. That especially is true for his judgement that you are worrying too much! You are over analyzing and ovethinking details that make no difference. There isn't the slightest reason for you to doubt Dr. Hook's statement that "Your [test] results are absolutely conclusive."
You do not need an RNA test and you have misunderstood something you read about "the seronegative thing". That simply never happens with the HIV AgAb (4th generation) blood tests. Every infected person has a positive result within a few weeks of infection which persists for life: either the antibody or antigen component is positive without exception. (Anyway, there really are almost no medical conditions that prevent antibody production. But if somehow that happened, the antigen test indeed would be positive. And if that happened to you, and you were infected 2-3 years ago, probalby you would be extremely ill or dead by now.)
Do your best to accept the reasoned, science based advice you have had on this forum, and probably from your own doctors. Move on with no further worry. And trust me on this: there is NOTHING you will think of, or information you find online, that would possibly change our evaluation and advice, so please do not be tempted to ask. I would also advise you to stop online searching about HIV risks and testing. Like many anxious persons, it is apparent you are being drawn to unreliable information that inflames your fears, and missing all the available science-based reassuring information.
Let me know if anything isn't clear.
HHH, MD
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17 months ago
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Thank you, Doctor HHH,
If I understand you correctly, even if I was infected 3 years ago and my body cannot produce detectable enough antibody and I am nearly dead, the antigen part of my 4th generation test will still be positive. Am I right? So as long as my 4th generation tests are negative, there is nothing to worry about.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
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Yes.---
17 months ago
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Dr Hansfield,
Thank you for your pervious responses. I will summarize my situation and ask a couple final questions. I will contact the mental health center of my university afterwards.
As I said before, I haven’t had any sexual contact for 2 or 3 years. I did a 4th generation fingertip rapid test at Carbon Health on 1/18, and a 4th generation blood test on 1/19, also at Carbon Health, the blood test was done by Labcorp. The 2 results are negative, but I took a multivitamin which contains 50mcg biotin per serving before the two tests.
I then did a 4th generation blood test at Carbon Health on 2/15. The test was done by Quest Diagnostics. The result is negative and I didn’t got any supplement. However, the time “collected” on the report is very different from the time when my blood was actually drawn. People at Carbon Health said that the collection time on the report is the time when Quest received the electronic order from my provider. I don’t know if she told me the truth.
I purchased a 4th generation test from Quest website and got it done on 2/29. I didn’t take any supplement and verified everything (my personal information, new needle, my name on the label, the collection time) this time. The result is negative again.
So, I did four tests, but only one there was no thing “wrong” or suspicious. Do you think I can still move on without worrying? Like no matter what symptoms occur on my body. If my immune system is too weak to produce enough antibodies, the antigen part of the test will be positive, an I right? Just found a oval shaped rash on my belly. I started worrying again because I heard people say you have rash because your immune system is weakened.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
17 months ago
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Collection time or delay from collection to testing makes no difference in test reliability. Probably you were told the truth, but it doesn't matter anyway.
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Yes, you "can still move on without worrying." There is no such thing as an immune system too weak to produce antibodies; and anyway, the antigen component of the AgAb test would remain positive; and the RNA test doesn't measure antibodies. Your rash doesn't sound like HIV and it is proved you don't have it.
You're obviously obsessed with HIV risk and testing and having trouble understanding (or believing) the reasoned, science based advice you have had on this forum and perhaps from your own doctors as well. However, this forum has gone as far as it can with your concerns. Repeated queestion on the same topic are not permitted, especially when anxiety driven. This being your third it will have to be your last; future ones along these lines will be deleted without reply and without refund of the testing fee. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is designed to reduce temptations to keep paying for similar questions with obvious answers; because experience shows that continued replies tend to prolong anxiety rather than reducing it (there's always a "yes but" or "could I be the exception" sort of thinking); and because such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thank you for your understanding.
That concludes this thread. I do hope the discussions help you move along without worry. Best wishes to you.
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