[Question #11286] HIV EXPOSURE AND TESTS
15 months ago
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Hello Doctor,
I live in Uk and i am hetrosexual male, and in the past 12 months i have had 15 sexual encounters with my multiple partners and 35 encounters with CSW .
All my intercouse were condom protected( all means all) but with 5 times i received BJ unprotected and ejaculated in Mouth(i have not seen any blood after that) and almost around 5 times gave cunnilingus to female for around not more than 2 minutes( i have no bleeding gums, oral health has alwayw been good, sometimes some pimples inside but never had any bleeding, and vaginal lick was not deep always just lick)
On 6 7 occasions with CSW i had to change condom due to unconfortable feeling in between and sonetimes it slipped but covered 60 percent of my penis(one time condom was all covered with vaginal fluid and some touched my base of uncovered penis but still 60 percent of penis was still covered).
Apart from this i never seen my condom slipped and it never break( not wide open, i dont know about micro holes)
Last time i had sex was 18 march and started worrying about HIV from next day after reading the blogs and all about condoms not being perfect and oral sex risk , etc etc and CSW carrying high risk and all.
My questions are:
1. How likely i am to catch hiv from incidents i told you above.
2. Why people tell about condoms not 100 percent good against hiv.
3. How long does hiv survive outside the body(as sometimes with csw i had to remove condom and she gave me handjob from which she touched
4. What type of bleeding gums are that and the cuts in fingers if touched the vaginal fluid.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
15 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your implied confidence in our service. Congratulations as well on your commitment to safe, condom protected sex- this will do much to protect you.
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Condoms which do not break and do not fall off offer excellent prevention for many STIs such as HIV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia and dramatically reduce the risk for others such as syphilis, herpes, or HPV which may be transmitted to locations not covered by condoms. Condom research is exceedingly challenging to conduct as it depends on individual reports of sex acts occurring when condoms are used. One has to suppose that when persons decide not to use condoms and then acquire infections chagrin and embarrassment may get in the way of accurate reporting. Further, during sex, condom slippage may occur in the manner you describe leading to infection. Available data however indicate that even with occasional condom slippage, as long as condoms cover the head of the penis they provide highly reliable prevention of STIs such as HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydial. Also as an FYI, so called "micro holes" are a myth. When condoms fail, as they do about 1% of the time they are used, they break wide open leaving no doubt that they have failed. With that as background:
1. How likely i am to catch hiv from incidents i told you above.
Close to zero. See my comments about condom protection for vaginal and rectal sex above. For oral sex there are NO proven cases of HIV which have been acquired from receipt of oral sex and the risk of HIV from performing oral sex on an infected partner is exceedingly low-estimated as being less than 1 infection for every 10,000 acts of oral sex (fellatio or cunnilingus), i.e. like performing oral sex on an infected, untreated partner daily for more than 27 years.
2. Why people tell about condoms not 100 percent good against hiv.
See my general comments above. People do not like to acknowledge their missteps.
3. How long does hiv survive outside the body(as sometimes with csw i had to remove condom and she gave me handjob from which she touched.
HIV becomes non-infectious virtually immediately after exposure to the environment outside of the body. For this reason mutual masturbation in which partners regularly get each others' genital secretions on one another is considered safe sex. HIV is not transmitted by transfer of infected secretions on one persons hands to others.
4. What type of bleeding gums are that and the cuts in fingers if touched the vaginal fluid.
While these are theoretically ways that infection might be transmitted, the fact is there is no evidence that this happens
I hope this information is helpful. EWH
15 months ago
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Ok i got your point.
Now, my last exposure was with a csw on 18 march, and i tested with a finger prick boots blood test used here in uk and it came back negative on 28 march and then after 29 days of the last exposure(all condom protected. I tested with ag ab duo test in yhe local sexual health clinic on 16 april and it came back negative. But i am still worried.
My questions are:
1. Most websites say about 4 weeks reliable after low risk exposure and 6 weeks after higk risk exposure, i mean what it has to do with high or low risk if the tests are reliable?
2. I have read the antigens started fading around 4-6 weeks and antibody starts appearing then. That might be the reason duo test picks up the all the infections at 6 weeks. But what if antigen disappeared and not enough antibodies produced by body at 6 weeks or 7 weeks. Then 3 months people say(may be because of this) this rules out when some say that after 6 weeks anytime duo test is reliable. I mean. Is it reliable after 7 weeks 8 weeks 9 weeks the same after 6 weeks like anytimr reliable after 6 week. I am really confused regarding that.
3. Before my last exposure test at 29 days. My previous exposure was 42 days (exactly 6 weeks before the test and then 7.5 weeks before the test. Can i rule out these exposures. And all the previous ones(how worst possibility it might have been).
4. Should i retest after 6 weeks of this possible exposure. Why peopls say 3 months, 6 months amd even 1 year.
5. What is this late seroconversion. I have heard terms like autoimmune diorder, controller and some other rare disease patients. I rashes on my chest and back( since past 2 or 3 months and they are like pimples(my skin is always having pimples)I always get cold and cough very easily and some fever with it. (Does it means something that my immune system might have hid this ars behind? I am confused regarding that. Please hel
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
15 months ago
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In reply:
1. The terms "high risk" and "low risk" are, at least in part, a matter or perception and interpretation. High risk would include persons with known untreated HIV or perhaps some members of groups known to have relatively higher than average risks for having HIV. Such persons might include men with other men as sex partners or persons with multiple unprotected sexual partners who have not tested regularly. As a generalization however, you can count on currently available 4th generation, combination HIV antigen/antibody tests detecting over 99% of recent HIV infections at 4 weeks following an exposure with the remaining less than 1% being detectable by 42-45 days.
2. The antigens become somewhat less detectable over time as antibodies lead to their removal from the blood stream. The situation you suggest, where antigens (i.e. virus) levels are lower but antibodies are not detectable simply does not occur.
3. I would have confidence in your test results.
4. Recommendations to test beyond 6 weeks are out of date or overly conservative. I see no reason whatsoever for testing beyond your last potential exposure.
5. Late seroconversion is an internet perpetuated myth. Decades ago with earlier tests, the tests sometimes missed tests relatively soon after acquistion of infection but that simply is not happening with current tests.
I hope these further clarifications are helpful. You have one remaining follow-up. EWH
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15 months ago
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Some more things i am confused about if you can help
1. I mean what is timeline of ars seroconverzion and can test detect during this stage
3. I have heard terms like immuno suppression disease, some cancer things, and controller any many more does they affect test results.
4. I was tested for full STI at uk clinic by NHS, the blood was taken by vein, does full screening test for STI might have affected the HIV test?
5. So does 4th generation taken after 45 days like anytime after increazes its accuracy like 50 days 60 days and so? Mostly uk websites say even bash guilelines ans the nhs people from which i confirmed my results that "that duo test is very reliable at 45 days" does that mean anytime after 45 days like even done at like 55 days 63 days 75 days obviously 90 day? Or does it change like if antibodies not detected at 7 or 8, i have read most of the posts here that generation at 8 weeks so does this test is more accurate at detecting antibodies than the 3rd one.
Last one have you seen anyone turning positive after testing at 28 days or at 6 weeks or 3 months or in a situation like me with multiple partners and escorts even though all protected turning positive after negative at 29 days
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
15 months ago
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This will be the final response as part of this thread. The thread will then be closed. There should be no need for additional questions.
1. I mean what is timeline of ars seroconverzion and can test detect during this stage.
The ARS occur between 8 and 30 days after acquistion of HIV and results from the presence of virus and antibodies to the virus interacting. It does not occur beyond 30 days. When persons experience the ARS, 4th generation tests are always positive.
3. I have heard terms like immuno suppression disease, some cancer things, and controller any many more does they affect test results.
It is apparent you have been spending time on the internet- these are internet based misperceptions that are common there but are irrelevant to your situations.
4. I was tested for full STI at uk clinic by NHS, the blood was taken by vein, does full screening test for STI might have affected the HIV test?
Absolutely not. Have confidence in all of your test results
5. So does 4th generation taken after 45 days like anytime after increazes its accuracy like 50 days 60 days and so? Mostly uk websites say even bash guilelines ans the nhs people from which i confirmed my results that "that duo test is very reliable at 45 days" does that mean anytime after 45 days like even done at like 55 days 63 days 75 days obviously 90 day? Or does it change like if antibodies not detected at 7 or 8, i have read most of the posts here that generation at 8 weeks so does this test is more accurate at detecting antibodies than the 3rd one.
4th generation tests taken beyond 42-45 days are conclusive. There is no such thing a "more conclusive". 3rd generation, antibody only tests are similarly conclusive at 8 weeks
Given your history over the past year, I find myself wondering why you are suddenly worried. You have 1 follow-up remaining. EWH
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15 months ago
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I always used to thought that condom offer 100 percent protection if wearing like an intact condom if not broken(never thought of micro holes).
I am not generalizing anyone of anything but was felt guilty of my multiple relations and sex with csws. Wanted to go out of this sex addictness and eventually came through that one condom effectiveness blog and i started digging deep and have read almost everything.
Can you tell me some more things related to symptoms(i know symptons are very bad indicator) but can you help me and give your valuable insight:
1. I dont know from when it started or recently after developing this hiv phobia i was noticing my nails, and what i saw was: my pink part of all nails is turing to light pink or is being covered by little whitish foggy thing or pink part is foggy and my lununa though its intact but ib 3 4 fingers some part of lununa started coming out like little bit every day and became a dot above lununa of white color and the area around lunula is little purpulish or may be dark pink with lunula shape is intact with a white dot just above lunula). I dont know if its related to hiv or not.
2. As my skin is very sensitive to pimples since childhood i have always had little brownish dots at my back and hands and pimples on face but sometimes on chest but recently used a hair removal cream and then pimples started to appear on my chest and on shoulder too. These are like puss filled pimples and i have a habit to pop them, they come and go.
I wanted to know what type of pimples are hiv rashes and are they like mine and come and go.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
15 months ago
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Please re=read my comments about condoms and the challenges in evaluating how effective they are. For all practical purposes, as long as they do not break and are worn throughout the sex act, they certainly are very close, if not, 100% effective for prevention of most STIs including HIV.
In response to your final questions:
1. The nail changes you describe are not recognized as a sign of HIV.
2. The "pimples" you describe are likely folliculitis, an infection which occurs at pores and at sites where hairs emerge from the skin. Popping them is not a good idea as the trauma of popping them can lead to more serious skin infections. The rash of HIV is generalized and looks nothing like what you describe.
I think you may be worrying more than you need to be Take care. EWH
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15 months ago
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Sorry for this annoying reply
But i have read in one of yours and dr hhh replies on medhelp that if intact and as far as it covers the head of penis its 100 percent effective. Then why close to 100 percent or very effective. Sorry for replying like this.
And with that 70 percent coverage incident with a csw i tested witj rapid test 85 days and with duo 105 days and negative and after that incident till my last exposure no sort of any thing happened and as i mentioned before that duo was 29 days after my last one. And i am damn sure that condom always covered the penis head all the time and i never had any penis pimples around the penis so that could have come contact with any sort of vaginal fluid.
So after going through my case and the last 29 days duo test negative. How likely do you think i will be negative at 8 weeks( i will be testing and af 12 weeks as well, sorry its my anxiety will be forcing me to test)
And lastly have you seen any case like mine who would have tested negative 28 days after with duo and later on positive?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
15 months ago
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You've ignored my statements about your remaining follow-ups. Since you will not quit with your anxiety driven, "what if" questions, I will end this, closing the thread immediately after my response. You should not need to return to the forum.
Condom effectiveness. Please re-read my original response. If you wear a condom throughout a sex act and it does not break you are virtually 100% protected.
29 day test results. At 29 days HIV test results are more than 99% conclusive. I am confident that you do not have HIV from the encounters you describe.
End of thread. Please go forward and do not worry. EWH
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