[Question #9804] Hiv Concern
28 months ago
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Hello doctor, I’m seeking your professional opinions so I can ease my worries.
3 months ago I had Unprotected Oral sex and Protected Vaginal sex with a sex worker.
I tested 2 separate times
Once at (92) days post exposure with a 4th Gen Combo test which came out negative.
Second test (99) days post exposure Also a 4th Gen combo test which also came out negative.
I also did A Full std Panel also negative.
My anxiety and paranoia wouldn’t let me believe the Test results so I Ended up getting a PCR HIV test just to be 100% conclusive.
My questions are:
1.What’s my risk assessment Based on what I told you?
2. Were the first two Test Conclusive?
3.I read On this forum that PCR test can often come out As false Positive, What’s the chance of this test coming out as a false positive???
4. Why would a false positive even occur on a PCR test?? Is it not reliable? Was getting this test a mistake???
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
28 months ago
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Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your confidence in our services.
You definitely can believe your test results; even before the PCR test, they show conclusively you do not have HIV. To your specific questions:
1. Because the test results prove you don't have HIV, the level of risk at the time of exposure really doesn't matter anymore. You could have said you had intentionally injected yourself with HIV infected blood and I would still advise you were not infected. But for future reference, the events described were zero risk for HIV, or very close to zero. There has never been a proved case of HIV transmitted oral to penis; condoms work well to prevent transmission by vaginal sex; and the large majority of female sex workers do not have HIV.
2. Negative HIV antigen-antibody tests (now termed AgAb tests, the same as "4th generation") are 100% conclusive any time 45 days or more after exposure. (You could have had conclusive testing a lot sooner than 3 months.)
3,4. Thanks for reading forum questions similar to your own, but you must have misunderstood something. HIV PCR tests very rarely give false positive results. Several years back, this wasn't so certain; perhaps you read older questions in which we raised the possibility of false positive results. But I've not heard any reports like that for several years. I can't give particular reasons for false positive HIV testing, but it's irrelevant at this point. You can expect your result to be negative, confirming the already 100% certainty you do not have HIV.
I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.
HHH, MD
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28 months ago
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Okay doctor can I 100% Expect a Negative pcr test Next week when I get my results?
What if I end up getting up a False positive what then?
28 months ago
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And yes the information I saw about the Pcr test being False positive was over 80 months ago on this forum.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
28 months ago
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"can I 100% Expect a Negative pcr test Next week when I get my results?" Read my reply above to questions 3 and 4. I haven't changed my mind in the last hour!
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There is almost no chance of a false positive result. If the result is positive, deal with it then.
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28 months ago
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Deal with it how exactly? If it were to come to that. Do I order another test? Or do I just Assume it’s A false positive and forget about it and leave it at that?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
28 months ago
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I have no additional advice, because this isn't going to happen. You came here for professional advice and assurance. I have given you strong, science based reassurance that there is no possibility you have HIV. Do you have trouble understanding my replies above? Or do you just not believe me?
That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. Please do not post a new one on these topics. But I'll make a deal with you: if your PCR test is positive, return with a new question to discuss it and we will refund your posting fee.
Really, just mellow out. You were not at risk for HIV to begin with, and the tests you already have had prove you were not infected. Look yourself in the mirror, tell yourself "I do not have HIV", then stop worrying.
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