[Question #11193] HIV Questions - (Antibody only + NAT)

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16 months ago
Hello, and thanks in advance for your input. Several months ago I performed oral sex on a sorority girl that I met on an app. This was the entirety of our physical contact (no kissing, insertion, etc.). 10 days later I had the worst sore throat of my life. Eventually, after being cultured, it was determined to be Strep. However, in that time of uncertainty, I became (obsessively) convinced with the idea that I had contracted HIV.

Through reading I've gleaned that oral sex alone is a near negligible risk, but I performed the following tests:

NAT PCR (13 Days) - Negative
Antibody 1/2 Plus O EIA (57.5 days) - Negative
NAT (57.5 days) - Negative

I have perused through previous answers and found that NAT + Ag/Ab at 4 weeks is conclusive. My question is pretty simple - Is the negative Antibody only (3rd gen) test + the negative NAT test taken together on day 57.5 (8 weeks +) conclusive? My rational mind tells me this is quite similar to 4th gen, though looking for RNA rather than p24 (and quite a bit more expensive). However, my mind is not always rational and I am anxious to know whether I can move on with life, or if I need another test. Thank you again for your time!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
16 months ago
Welcome to the Forum.  Thanks for your questions.  I'll to my best to reassure you.  The chance of acquiring HIV from performing oral sex on a college woman is very low- on average, less the one in 1000 will have HIV.  Further, the risk of acquiring HIV through cunnilingus is also vanishingly rare- the CDC estimates that this occurs about once in every 10,000 exposure to HIV infected, untreated person.  Just putting these two figures together, your risk for HIV was less than 1 in 10 million and that estimate is probably too high. Then you have been tested repeatedly- your two PCR tests, prove that you did not acquire HIV, the antibody test further confirms this.

You can be entirely confident that you did not acquire HIV from the exposure you describe.  There is no reason for additional testing and no medical of scientific reason to worry.  EWH
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16 months ago
Thank you very much, Dr. Hook! I am reassured, and that's excellent news.
If you'd humor me for one follow-up: am I correct in reading that my 3 tests together are conclusive? I'm sure that's what's implied with the word prove, but that's the buzz word I see everywhere. Thank you again, I already feel a weight off my shoulders. Have a great day!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
16 months ago
Correct.  The combined results from your 3 tests provide 100% conclusive results.  Please don't worry.  EWH---