[Question #9097] HIV test at 12 weeks and other questions
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36 months ago
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Hello doc,
so apparently i did a hiv antibody only test (3rd gen i believe) today which is around 87 days post my potential exposure. I received a negative result. Is that 100% conclusive despite the test being 3rd gen? Has there been cases of negative results turning into positive status after 3 months? I am sorry for being still concerned. I am quite relieved, just want to ensure that i can move on from now on.
Another question i do have is that i received a number on my tests with a unit of s/co. I had received multiple results of 0.09, 0.12, 0.07, and this time it reaches 0.19, the highest ever. I know its still negative, but does that number matter at all or what does that stand for? If you could explain that would be great, if not it would be fine.
One last question would be: the last time i had sex was September 2021, and in May 2022, I received a HSV 1/2 igg&igm blood test. Everything was negative. Does that exclude me from having any sort of genital herpes? Is blood test how doctors decide if one has genital herpes or not?
Thank you very much!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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Welcome back to the Forum although I'm sorry you felt the need. On this occasion I happened to pick up your follow-up questions and agree with all that Dr. Handsfield said- the event you describe was a no risk event and your testing PROVES that you were not infected. Your test results are entirely conclusive and there is no need for additional testing- the results will not change. The minor fluctuations in the index values of your test represent normal variation in the test baseline and are of no concern- you results are still conclusively negative. Further testing would be a waste of time and resources.
As far as your herpes tests, make it most improbable that you have acquired genital herpes. If you decide to test again in the future, please do NOT request IgM tests as these tests are of little of no diagnostic utility and have relatively high rates of falsely positive results in persons who do not have genital herpes.
I hope these statements, along with my complete agreement with all the Dr. Handsfield has already said, will allow you to move forward without continuing concern. EWH
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36 months ago
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Thanks for responding doctor, I appreciate it.
So does that mean i wont need to re-test for syphilis as well? Is syphilis possibly transmissible through my exposure? I was tested negative at 10 weeks and did not do one for 12 weeks.
I also live a quite clean life, so no drug, no sex for almost a year, does that mean i am supposed to be hiv/other sti free and need no worrying and testing if i continue to live this way?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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Syphilis it’s not transmissible through the story of exposure you described. In addition syphilis test anytime more than six weeks following exposure are conclusive.
I encourage you to put your concerns aside and move forward without concern. EWH
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36 months ago
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Hi doc, thanks for responding again.
I am about to move on, thanks for your help. My final concern is, is the only way of being infected by hiv or syphilis to be doing drugs with shared needles and having unprotected sex? Do daily exposures (my wounds contacted with potential blood or other liquids) not matter at all?
Both you and Dr. Handsfield had been great to me, hope you all have a great one.
Thanks!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
36 months ago
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Final responses: for all practical purposes the only realistic way to acquire HIV is through participation in and protected penetrative sex with an untreated, infected partner or injection of infected material deep into tissue. Touching, surface contamination of the sort you described, or mutual masturbation with contact to an infected partner’s genital secretions are not meaningful risks for acquisition of HIV and virtually all STI‘s. The presence thof open wounds to not change this generalization.
As you know, this concludes this thread. Take care. I hope you will be able to move on without continuing concerns. EWH
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