[Question #9158] Can I consider oraquick test conclusive?

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35 months ago
About 4 years ago I had unprotected sex with my ex boyfriend, who gave me chlamydia during this encounter so he clearly was engaging in unprotected sex with others. For context I am female. So I suddenly got anxiety surrounding my hiv status & have since taken 6 oraquick home tests, all negative. 
I read online that these test give a high amount of false negative results, so I just was wondering if I can consider these results conclusive? Is it possible that all 6 tests are false negative? Would you suggest a blood test to confirm that these results are correct? 
Thanks in advance! 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
35 months ago
Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your questions. I’ll be glad to comment. You are correct that the Oraquick tests for HIV antibodies occasionally, although not all that commonly, miss recently acquired infections. On the other hand, with each repeated test taken at times more than eight weeks following an exposure, the likelihood that your testing years after exposure is missing a recently acquired infection becomes lower and lower.

Epidemiologically, your exposure was low risk. Fewer than 1% of heterosexual men are infected with HIV. In addition, in the unlikely situation that your partner was infected with HIV, the transmission of HIV only occurs in, on average, one out of every more than 1000 sexual exposures. In other words, 99.9% of unprotected exposures to untreated, HIV infected persons do not result in infection.  Considering the statistics, as well as your multiple negative Oraquick tests, the likelihood that you were infected with HIV is vanishingly low, lower the chance that you will be struck by lightning today. My sincere advice is for you to believe your test results and not worry. 

I hope this perspective is helpful to you. If any part of my response is unclear or you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to use your update to follow ups for clarification. Please don’t worry. EWH
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35 months ago
Thank you so much, your perspective has really helped me! 
I just have two quick follow ups & I will be on my way. 
The first is to ask whether it would even be possible to get 6 false negatives so far out from exposure? & the second is are the false negatives from oraquick usually caused because of testing too early or do they happen after the 3 months has passed? 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
35 months ago
There is really no meaningful risk that you would have 6 successive false negative results.

Correct.  False negatives for Oraquick typically are due to testing too early.  Have confidence in your results.  Please don't worry.  EWH
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35 months ago
Thank you for your thoughtful responses, I really feel much better!