[Question #6629] Hiv test accurate? Medication interference?
12 months ago
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Hello,
Thank you for the service here.
So, back in Early July 2019, I had an instance where I gave unprotected fellatio to 2 men. There was no ejaculate in my mouth, and there might have been precum. No sexual exposure since. I don’t use drugs either.
Around 10 days after this encounter, I had a rapid test and a 4th gen lab test done for hiv (For a previous unrelated encounter that occurred months before) and the tests were non reactive.
Knowing about the window period, I finally got tested in January 2020 for hiv:
On January 22 I took a rapid insti test at a clinic: Non Reactive.
Decided to Repeat another insti test a week later: Non Reactive.
Finally, on January 31 I had a vein blood test (4th gen I believe) taken for both HIV and Syphilis and sent to a lab: Non reactive.
I know typically these results are conclusive.
However, from December 2019-January 18 2020, I was visiting a south Asian country where I had an ongoing cold/sore throat/congestion. The doctor there prescribed me a whole bunch of different medications. I didn’t take many of them as I didn’t really feel like I needed all this medicine, since my Canadian doctor typically never prescribes me anything for similar symptoms.
I was looking at the prescription today, and noticed I was prescribed Prednisolone (it says prednisolone 5). I don’t remember if I actually took it or not.
But let’s assume that from Early January - maybe January 18, I took this medication along with other cough syrups/allergy pills. Could it have affected the hiv tests I took once I returned to Canada?
Could the prednisolone have suppressed my immune system and lowered the antibodies I had developed in the past 6 months since the July encounter? Making the test Incorrect?
I read that medication like Prednisolone can affect hiv tests, but is that only if you take the medication before you ever develop antibodies?
Should I need to retest for hiv and syphilis due to this? Also This is the first time I tested for syphilis, so it might have a higher risk right?
Also, I did also take reactine before the test as well.
Thank you.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
12 months ago
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12 months ago
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![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
12 months ago
|
12 months ago
|
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
12 months ago
|