[Question #9251] HIV and sti

34 months ago

Hi Doctors,

Thanks for having this forum!

I am a 24 year male living in uk. I had unprotected vaginal sex with several sex workers last year. Don’t remember exactly but I would estimate about 10-15 sex workers. I typically also received unprotected oral from them. No other exposures. They are European or Asian. The last time was in last July. Since then I have absolutely no sexual experience at all. So that’s 14 months after exposure.

Yesterday I went to a private clinic and had a sit screening. The nurse sent my blood and urine sample to a laboratory and I have 4 results back today. The nurse seems don’t know a lot about Sti testing but my results are all negative. Here are my results:

Syphilis IgG/IgM by EIA Negative

Hep B surface Ag (HBsAg) Negative

Hep.C Ab ELISA ( 3rd Gen ) not detected

HIV 1&2 Abs/P24 Ag screen not detected

Would you please interpret each of them for me? Especially the one for hiv which I worry the most. What does each term mean? Did I have the correct tests? Can I be 100% sure that I don’t have the above 4 infections(especially hiv)?

I am still waiting for the urine result and will post it as a follow-up.

Thanks very much for your help!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

34 months ago

Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment. Following sex with a new partner, including one who is a commercial sex worker, testing is always a good idea. It has now been more than 60 days since your last sexual experience, thus you can have confidence that all of your results are accurate and conclusive and need not be repeated. Different tests report their results in different ways but I can assure you that each of the tests you describe is conclusively negative.

I hope that this response is helpful. You can put any concern you might have about the infections you list (HIV, hepatitis C (which for all practical purposes is not an STI), hepatitis B and syphilis) aside and move forward without concern. EWH

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34 months ago

Dear Dr Hook,

Thanks for your reply.

Actually my last sexual activities were in last year, not this year, so over a year from now. I have a few questions:

1. What does HIV 1&2 Abs/P24 Ag mean? Does Abs mean antibodies and Ag antigens? Is this the best kind of test you usually recommend?

2. I think Hep C Ab is a test for antibodies too, please confirm? And Hep B surface Ag means surface antigen? Are these the correct type of tests to do?(because I think there are other types of tests as well)

Edward W. Hook M.D.

34 months ago

1. There are two strains of HIV, HIV one and HIV two. Your test tested for HIV antigen (Ag), the proteins covering of the virus, and HIV antibodies (AB). This is the gold standard test for detection of HIV infection. You should believe the results. As I said before, they are conclusive I do not need to be repeated.

2. Correct, your test for hepatitis C what’s the test for antibodies while your test for hepatitis B was for the antigen, the protein portion of the virus itself. These are suburban tests which conclusively rule out the possibility of infection.

EWH

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34 months ago

In the last sentence what do you mean by suburban tests? Thanks

Edward W. Hook M.D.

34 months ago

Oh sorry this was a dictated response what I meant to say is that “these are superb tests! EWH ---

34 months ago

Thanks Dr Hook,

I have my urine results back:

Chlamydia Trachomatis DNA(PCR)

N. gonorrhoeae DNA (PCR)

Mycoplasma genitalium DNA(PCR) Ureaplasma species DNA (PCR) Trichomonas vaginalis DNA(PCR) Gardnerella vaginalis DNA(PCR)

Herpes simplex type 1/2 DNA

All not detected.

I have the following final questions and would be grateful if you can address them for me？

1. Is my syphilis IgG/IgM by EIA the correct type of test to take？ I hear there are a lot of types of syphilis test（terms like RPR etc.） Can I be 100% sure that my syphilis IgG/IgM by EIA test took 14 months(420+ days) after exposure is absolutely conclusive？

2. What is the maximum window period of syphilis IgG/IgM by EIA test？

3 Are my urine test results coclusive？

Thanks again for all of your help！

34 months ago

Sorry, one last thing: in your previous reply you said “Correct, your test for hepatitis C what’s the test for antibodies”.

I assume what you mean is “

Correct, your test for hepatitis C was the test for antibodies”, it is correct?

And you wrote HIV antibodies(AB) and I assume that you mean the term “Abs” in my test results stand for antibodies, right? I guess uppercase or lowercase doesn't matter？

I guess yes but I am not a native English speaker so better confirm with you to avoid misunderstandings. Really sorry for my long- winded questions!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

34 months ago

Final Responses:

1. A syphilis test of the sort you describe will provide reliable results. If you have not had one, I anticipate it will be negative and provide reliable reults proving that you do not have syphilis.

2. 42 days

3. Yes

You do not have hepatitis C. It is not an STI. Please believe the result

End of thread. EWH

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