[Question #13306] Hiv DNA testing

15 days ago

Hi Dr
A year ago I performed oral sex on a man I met through an app. Since then Ive experienced symptoms Ive never had before
Dizziness
Blurred vision
Numbness in hands when waking up 
I took 3 tests
2 proviral DNA pcr tests at 3 and 7 months. Both negative
Complete blood count at 10 months. All normal
Im worried about the sensitivity of the DNA test. Its detection limit is 130 infected cells per ml of blood. Do you know what would the average infected persons cell count per ml of blood be? I didnt find any reference values on the internet unlike with the RNA tests, which on an infected person would be around the tens of thousands or even more.
I undestand there are far fewer infected cells than free RNA in blood (I read that a single cell can make about 10000 rna copies) and usally RNA tests have lower detection limits than the one in my test, hence my concern
Thanks!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

15 days ago

Welcome. Thanks for your confidence in our services.

Your negative HIV tests are 100% proof you do not have HIV. There is no such thing as HIV infections with negative tests. Further, it is not possible to have HIV symptoms and test negative. Your results prove something else is the cause. And your symptoms do not suggest HIV anyway.

You are over-reading and over-interpreting information you have found online about the sensitivity of HIV RNA testing. My guess is you also have had antibody testing, or some antigen-antibody (AgAb, "4th generation") blood tests as well which also were negative. If for some reason you have not, you should do so now. You definitely can expect negative results.

Rest assured you do not have HIV. Stop testing, unless it's an antibody or AgAb test. And look to other causes for your symptoms.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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4 days ago

I followed your advice and took a 4th generation test. It was negative

I also took a viral load test as I knew that without it I wouldnt beable to put this issue behind me and look past any symptoms Im having without linking them to a posible infection

When I get the result I´ll post it here. Do you think its 100% certain it´ll be negative?

I guess it would be very rare to be infected and not have generated either proviral dna, antigens or antiboides after a year

Does the antigen only disappear if antibodies are formed? Or is there another way for them to disappear?

Thank you for your time

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

4 days ago

"I guess it would be very rare to be infected and not have generated either proviral dna, antigens or antiboides after a year". Well beyond "very rare". Probably this has never happened.

Yes, antigen disappears only as a result of antibody, which clears antigen from the blood.

Yes it is "100 certain" another viral load test will be negative. (If positive, it would have to be the result of another, more recent exposure.)

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3 days ago

The test was undetectable.

It's incredible how many symptoms the mind can create, possibly due to prolonged stress and anxiety.

Thank you so much for your help with this issue, I will finally believe my results.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

3 days ago

IGNORE any and all symptoms you have now or in the future, as a possible indication of HIV. It does not matter what the symptoms might be or how typical for HIV they might seem. Assuming no new HIV exposures, something other than HIV will be the cause. Believe it!

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.

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