Hi there, first off I would like to commend the job you guys do! I'm a 35 year old male from the UK. My possible HIV exposure occurred some five and a half years ago. I have been thinking about it a lot recently and have the following questions if you would be kind enough to answer them. 

 

First off My exposure was from sex with a female sw in Prague (very drunk embarrassing mistake). I did wear a condom but it split. I have tested negative with 4th generation test at 11.5 weeks (at which point I tested -ve to all sti's), two insti tests at 6 months and three further 4th generation tests at 8.5months, 10.5 months and finally 18 months. Then down to my anxiety I then had pcr test at 2 years which was also negative.

 

My questions are:-

 

I had a two week course of antifungal tablets (ketoconazole) at week 9 - 10 post exposure and I was wondering whether this would have effected my result of the test that was taken at 11.5 weeks (I.e, lack of antibody production) and if so surely the other later tests would then still have been ok? This question has previously been answered in that there was no evidence to say that these tablets effected antibody production but I just had a little more anxiety on the subject. Could you please read the following and comment?

Even if the ketoconazole was to have had an effect on the antibodies, how long would such a medicine take to be out of your system and would the antibodies then go back to normal production? Given the tablets were taken 9-10 week post exposure and my tests were 11.5 weeks, 8.5 months, 10.5 months, 18 months ,etc then the ketoconazole would be well out my system anyway?

Also what if I were an elite controller or long term non progressor (with undetectable viral load) would I have still created antibodies?

Many Thanks in Advance

There are no medications or medical conditions that alter the reliability of HIV tests, no matter what outlandish statements you can find online. In theory, potent immunusppressive drugs or cancer chemotherapy might inhibit the antibody response, and this was cited as a potential concern with past antibody-only tests. Even this was rarely if ever reported to have actually happened. And if, in theory, antibody production were inhibited, the virus would grow ever more vigorously -- which means that antigen or DNA/RNA woiuld be present in even higher amounts. So with the antigen-antibody or PCR/genetic tests for the virus, even these theoretical considerations would make it MORE likely that testing would be positive,

For sure neither ketoconazole nor any other antibiotic can have any effect. Your test results are reliable. It doesn't matter how long the drug remains in your system after taking it.

See my closing comment in your other thread about the potential value of professional counseling about such concerns. Also, I'm going to close this thread. If you have any follow-up comments or questions, use the other thread. Thanks.

HHH, MD