[Question #2643] unprotected vagina sex and test conclusiveness
95 months ago
|
hello doctor i did very stupid thing here in australia i had sex with a sex worker without condom and it lasted for more than 30 min after a month from that encounter i started to get symptoms like night fever white tongue with dry mouth diarrohea so i did combo test on 35th day which states ag/ab not detected as well as i did combo test on 44th day which states not detected and the report i got for the second test states that only at 3 month time my reasult will be conclusive so i am freaking out and still i have mouth ulcers with dry mouth but i have read that combo test are conclusive at or after 6 week
1.is it like antigen in my blood was no more left and the time when i tested antibody were not present
2.can i be 100% sure with my two test or i need to test more to be sure
my life has been a mess doctor its been a month neither i can focus on work nor study i was even fired from my job because of my poor performance due to stress
please need some expert advise
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
95 months ago
|
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
You needn't worry. First, you probably were at low risk for HIV: although you say nothing about your partner, the frequency of heterosexually transmitted HIV in Australia is quite low and HIV remains rare in most women, including the most sexually active. Second, your symptoms were not due to HIV: they were not typical for a new infection, and they started much too late after the exposure; acute HIV stymptoms always start within 10-14 days.
Third and perhaps most important, your test results already are conclusive. You have been misinformed or misunderstood some of the information about modern HIV testing. It is correct that the Ag/Ab (combo) tests are always conclusvie by 6 weeks, usually by 4 weeks. Three months is old news, related to older tests no longer in use.
Those comments address your two questions, but to be explicit so there is no misunderstanding:
1) There is no such thing as not developing antigen and antibody in the blood by 6 weeks.
2) You definitely do not need any more testing; you can be 100% sure you didn't catch HIV.
If you remain concerned, consider visiting your local urban sexual health centre. Australia's SHCs are probably the world's very best network for STD/HIV clinical services and testing. You'll always get highly expert, world class advice. If you do so, you'll find they confirm the information above.
Sorry to hear about your job loss. If despite this reassurance you continue to find your life remains "a mess", professional counseling might be worthwhile. An SHC probably won't provide such counseling, but they certainly could recommend resources in your area.
I hope this information is useful. Let me know if anything isn't clear. Good luck!
HHH, MD
---
95 months ago
|
Thanks doctor for your quick response
but the girl with whom i had sex was not australian she said she was chinese
and about the combo test in the test result it was written that it was a combo test but need to repet test at 3 months
i even talked with drtan and partners forum but they said test are conclusive at and after 28 days
but i still cant take which one is conclusive for one moment i feel like i dont have hiv but again i feel like i have it and test result are not showing it
so as per u is there any chance that my 37 and 44 day negetive going to change positive on 12 week or 84 days time
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
95 months ago
|
The low frequency of HIV in women in Australia is across all ethnic groups, especially in urban areas (not counting some Aboriginal populations). Your partner's Asian or Chinese ancestry doesn't change anything.
---
Many testing agencies and labs provide overly conservative advice about testing intervals. Trust me on this: no HIV infection ever takes as long as 3 months for positive results by 4th gen/combo testing. Your test results already are 100% conclusive and you do not need any more testing. You don't have HIV and there is no chance any additional test, at any time, will be positive (assuming, of course, you don't have a new exposure in the meantime).
95 months ago
|
sorry for my repetative question i know u are expert but i hope you equally know that how a psychologically affected person keep on asking same question even though there is no reason to worry i heartly apologise for that
as u stated on ur last message that no combo test take more than 3 months to detect infection and as well as u assure me that my test result is conclusive by 44DAYS that's the only think making me confuse
and lastly i would like to thank u very much for all the things u have done and are doing to take ur patients and clients seriously with expert advice and making us feel good with a smile of hope and charm
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
95 months ago
|
You misunderstood my last reply: the combo tests always are positive by 6 weeks (42 days).
---
Thanks for the thanks; I hope the information has helped. That completes the two follow-up questions and replies included in each thread, which now is concluded. Best wishes and stay safe.