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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Late seroconverting?
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
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No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
Late seroconverting?
by male_51, Aug 10, 2006 12:00AM
Hello Doc.
After a stupid incident with prostitute about 6 months ago I am pretty sure and very afraid that I’ve got HIV.
I got many “HIV symptoms”, like night sweat, sore throat, metalic taste in my mouth, muscle pains, rash on my breast and neck and fur on my tongue. I got swollen glands for the last 3 months. The first symptoms started 1 week after the incident, and I got more and more symptoms.
I’ve got blood samples taken after 4 weeks, 11 weeks and 18 weeks. Every time the Elisa screening test came out “week positive”, and the Western Bloot confirmation test came out negative. I have now taken a new test at 6 months, and I am still waiting for the answer.
If I got HIV, when the Elisa test was “week positive” at 4 months, shouldn’t the WB be positive at least at the 18 months test?
I’ve got rheumatism. Could it be that is why I’m being late in seroconverting?
I’ve also been eating a lot of garlic tablets. Can that slow down the seroconverting process?
At the same time I don't understand why I have som massive symptoms.
Thank you.
After a stupid incident with prostitute about 6 months ago I am pretty sure and very afraid that I’ve got HIV.
I got many “HIV symptoms”, like night sweat, sore throat, metalic taste in my mouth, muscle pains, rash on my breast and neck and fur on my tongue. I got swollen glands for the last 3 months. The first symptoms started 1 week after the incident, and I got more and more symptoms.
I’ve got blood samples taken after 4 weeks, 11 weeks and 18 weeks. Every time the Elisa screening test came out “week positive”, and the Western Bloot confirmation test came out negative. I have now taken a new test at 6 months, and I am still waiting for the answer.
If I got HIV, when the Elisa test was “week positive” at 4 months, shouldn’t the WB be positive at least at the 18 months test?
I’ve got rheumatism. Could it be that is why I’m being late in seroconverting?
I’ve also been eating a lot of garlic tablets. Can that slow down the seroconverting process?
At the same time I don't understand why I have som massive symptoms.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Aug 10, 2006 12:00AM
, Aug 10, 2006 12:00AM
To my knowledge, no responsible laboratory reports "weak positive" ELISA results. Maybe "indeterminant"? In any case, the Western blot tells the story. Your negative results prove with 100% certainty that your symptoms cannot be due to HIV. Neither garlic nor arthritis affects the HIV test results. Read many other threads about the fact that symptoms never are a reliable indicator of new HIV infection, despite what you may have read and despite how classical the symptoms may seem to be.
So mellow out, relax. You don't have HIV. Follow up with your health care provider if your symptoms persist. Good luck--
HHH, MD
So mellow out, relax. You don't have HIV. Follow up with your health care provider if your symptoms persist. Good luck--
HHH, MD
That should be 4 and 18 weeks, not months.
Also, remember that a negative western blot MEANS there were NO HIV antibodies found and that individual is HIV NEGATIVE at the time of the test. If your test was later than 13 weeks you ARE HIV negative.
There are a few reasons why an individual consistently has false positives, for example pregnancy which I hope being a male is not your problem, but auto-immune diseases as well. If you still can't sleep at night, you could risk a PCR test but I don't recommend it. But then I'm not you and as you will read couldn't help myself from taking it.
Now to symptoms, I can't fathom how the doctor keeps repeating himself over and over without resigning from this forum. Hopefully I can make things a little easier for you. I had a much higher risk than you and three weeks later had EVERY symptom--from mouth ulcers to fever to aches and pains to generalized swollen lymph nodes to hairy tongue, name it I had it. I was told over and over again that symptoms mean nothing and I thought YEAH RIGHT. Well after dozens of tests out to 6 months and a DNA PCR here and there, guess what NEGATIVE. So symptoms really do mean nothing, especially in a low risk situation.
Good luck to you.
I think you are going to be alright, USE CONDOMS!!
Later.
About the Elisa:
In my country I think they use "week" or "sligth" reactive in Elisa screening.
I read: Values S/CO <0,7 is Neg. 0,7-1,3 is "marginal value". 1,3-2,5 is "sligth reactive" and >2,5 is reactive.
My test came out x3 with "sligth reactive".
Why don't you recommend risking a PCR test?
With the last blood-samples I asked for a PCR, and I am waiting for the answer.
I have had 7 elisas so far to 15 weeks, all negative.
I could get it today, but the waiting is crippling me.
Good Luck.
A DNA PCR is probably your best bet, the chance of a false negative, especially after two months is really, really close to zero. Although not as bad as an RNA PCR, the extreme sensitivity of this test can yield a false positive also.
Too much money and stress and at the end of the day, you'll probably still question your results.
Trust the doctor, you are Negative! An Elisa/Western Blot antibody test after 3 months is conclusive, regardless of what generation the test is.
HHH, MD
If you lot (the medical profession) would hold a consistent upto date view regarding test sensitivities and timelines that was adequately explained, you may find peoples responses start to become "proper".