[Question #3393] 9 weeks 4 generation hiv test

89 months ago

Hi, i had an exposure 10 weeks ago. I have protected vaginal sex, but unptotected oral sex in which i had a litte wound in the corner of my lip and at some point that night bleed. At week 6 i had pain in all my neck and head muscles. I did an 4 generation hiv test at 7 weeks and come no reactive. After that test that same week i got runny nose, i mild sore throat for only one day, after dad i had lymph node in my neck that i still have it, i had two weeks coughing like dry, the fist days i had small amounts of green phlegm but then only cough, at week 9 i did another 4 generation hiv test i came out negative again, i had the day after a lot of sweat at noght in my neck and best. Two days after i did a 10 std panel which includes 4 generation hiv all came negative. And today i had last nigh a lot of sweat in my neck and breat again taht wake me up and the room was really cold. I woukder if i i have to repeat my hiv test because i had more symptoms and many doctors recomend 12 weeks or i dont have to repeat them again! Thanks

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

89 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.

Some questions can be accurately answered based only on the title chosen by the user. I think I can do that now. Without even looking at your question, I can tell you that the HIV antigen-antibody ("4th generation") blood tests are 100% conclusive any time 6 weeks or more after the last possible exposure. A negative result 9 weeks after exposures is proof you were not infected. It doesn't matter how high the risk was at the time, or what symptoms you might have. The test result overrules even the highest risk exposure and most typical symptoms. So I'm sure you have nothing to worry about!

Now I have read the question itself. Guess what? In fact, your HIV risk was very low, since the virus is almost never transmitted by oral sex. And your symptoms are not typical for a new HIV infection. Symptoms of a new HIV infection never start latter than about 2 weeks after exposure, so symptoms at 6 weeks are unrelated; and HIV doesn't cause runny nose. You caught a cold, that's all. But as I said above, even if you had had a higher risk exposure or if your symptoms strongly suggested HIV, the test results prove you were not infected.

As for your doctor's advice to retest at 12 weeks, it simply isn't necessary. That was the standard recommendation with the older HIV tests, but 6 weeks is now the standard for the 3rd generation and especially the 4th generation HIV tests. Some physicians, clinics, and public health programs just haven't yet updated their recommendations.

So all is well, and no further testing is necessary. I hope this information is helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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89 months ago

Thanks so much for your explanation. Now i feel more relaxed. Because i was reading many things from the internet that were drawing me crazy such as late seroconvencion al 7 weeks or later. So i was concerned because i took antibiotics for ten days at weeks 2 after exposure, cephalexine and bactim, so i supposed that those antibiotics pulled back my detection Of antibodies, now that you explaned me i feel better. Because almost all doctosr says that is 12 weeks and i look in some

Goverment pages and said the same i guess they are too conservatives and dont want to miss an infection. I have heard the low risk of oral sex my preocupacion was that i had a burn in my lip that bleeded during sex. So you recomend me not to test again? 9 weeks is good enough regarless od the exposure, or late seroconvertion?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

89 months ago

There are no medications that interfere with reliability or timing of HIV tests; the antibiotics made no difference.

The risk at the time of exposure doesn't matter. However high the risk was at the time, the test proves you were not infected. So the lip burn doesn't change anything. (And also this would not make the exposure more risky anyway.)

There is no such thing as "late seroconversion". With the AgAb (4th gen) HIV tests, the latest possible is 6 weeks.

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89 months ago

Thanks so much for your explanation i do appreciated!! So no need for retest? I am good with negative results at nine week?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

89 months ago

"So no need for retest? I am good with negative results at nine week?"

Will it really help for me to give the same answer a third time?? Read my replies above!

I hope the conversation has been helpful. Do your best to accept the reasoned, science based reassurance I have tried to give you. Best wishes and stay safe.

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