[Question #6873] 6 week negative concern

64 months ago

Hi Dr

I had a risk with a girl that is of Chinese origin however i have tested negative with the 4th gen AG/AB test at the 43 day mark. I am still concerned in regards to HIV 2 will this test have picked it up and is this 100% conclusive at this time?, i am worried that i may have an undiagnosed medical condition that could make me take longer to make the antibodies as i my health is not that good. Does the fact that she is Chinese mean that she is more likely to have HIV 2?, as China is close to India where HIV 2 prevalence is a bit higher than the rest of the world?

Thanking you in advance and Kind Regards

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

64 months ago

Welcome back, but I'm surprised you felt the need. The answers to these questions are clear from the discussion with Dr. Hook just two weeks ago. There are no medical conditiosn that alter the reliability of the AgAb HIV blood tests. First, there is no such thing as not producing antibody to HIV; that's an urban myth that might have rarely occurred with the earliest HIV blood tests, now little used; but not for the antibody tests produced in the past 10-15 years. Second, if for some reason you didn't prodece antibody, the antigen (Ag) portion of the test would give a positive result. I am unaware of any data on higher HIV2 risk in China or people of Chinese origin, but it doesn't really matter. Your test is valid for HIV2 as well as HIV1. On top of all this, you had a zero risk non-exposure event anyway.

No worries, all is well. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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64 months ago

Thanks for the quick response Dr

So hypothetically even if i had a confirmed high risk exposure with someone infected with HIV 2 and a high viral load the 6 week test result overrules all of this regardless of whatever health problems I might have ? and in this case is the test still 100% conclusive?.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

64 months ago

All correct.---

64 months ago

Sorry to keep harping on this Dr Handsfield for my final question i just wanted to get clarification once more as i suffer from anxiety and i have to be really sure as i read that the p24 antigen only tests for HIV 1 and not HIV 2 but can i get confirmation just once more that the test is conclusive for HIV 1 and 2 at 6 weeks even if i have a compromised or weakened immune system ?

thank you for your patience and help with everything

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

64 months ago

I don't see how it helps for me to repeat the same information. Do you suspect I might have changed my mind? OK, here goes:

"...can i get confirmation just once more that the test is conclusive for HIV 1 and 2 at 6 weeks even if i have a compromised or weakened immune system ?" Yes, I confirm this.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. Please note the forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure. This will have to be your last one; future new questions about this exposure, testing, and your fears about HIV will receive no reply and the posting fee will not be refunded. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is intended to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thanks for your understanding.

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