Im a bit paranoid for a couple of weeks. Many years ago i had a relationship with a girl and we had unprotected sex during her period. Later i was in a relationship with a man and always had protected sex (me the insertive partner) but sometimes the condom broke. Since then i have had numerous tests for all the sti's- all negative and managed to calm my phobias down. But i heard about chagas disease and panicked again. In Greece they test with pcr dna as it is the only available i found. Would a negative result be accurate since if i am infected, i would be in a chronic state?

Thanks in advance. Any answer would be really appreciated.

However, we only deal with HIV and other STDs. Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) is caused by a parasite that is caught by the bite of a certain insect. It is common in many areas of South and Central America. It is not sexually transmitted, and cannot be acquired by sex or any other personal contact with a person with Chagas disease. (African trypanosomiasis is a similar parasitic infection that usually is not called Chagas.)

Perhaps you became concerned because you read that Chagas disease is one of the many infections that often is more serious in people with AIDS. The Chagas PCR DNA test has nothing to do with HIV, except that testing sometimes is done in people with HIV/AIDS. We are not Chagas experts and the forum doesn't deal with it because it's not sexually transmitted. If for some reason you remain concerned about Chagas disease, see a doctor -- ideally an infectious diseases or tropical medicine specialist.

I will be happy to answer any questions you have about HIV or STD risks, testing, etc. Given your unprotected sex with both men and women, you should be tested for HIV and STDs from time to time. Let me know if you would like more information along these lines. In the meantime, I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD