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STDs (Expert Forum)
HIV risk episode
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
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IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
HIV risk episode
by Steve888, Feb 13, 2006 12:00AM
I have had one episode 6 weeks ago I deeply regret - I had insertive anal sex with another guy of unknown HIV status.
My question is - 1) what are my chances of HIV from this one incident, and 2) I have tested at 6 weeks, waiting for result now - how accurate is this likely to be?
I have not had fever but had a very bad cough and sore throat.
My question is - 1) what are my chances of HIV from this one incident, and 2) I have tested at 6 weeks, waiting for result now - how accurate is this likely to be?
I have not had fever but had a very bad cough and sore throat.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Feb 13, 2006 12:00AM
, Feb 13, 2006 12:00AM
Unprotected anal sex with someone at risk for HIV is one of the highest risk activities. However, the risk for any single episode still is low, perhaps somewhere around 1 in 200, even if your partner has HIV. Cough and sore throat without fever is unlikely to be due to primary HIV infection. A negative HIV test result at 6 weeks will be highly reassuring (at least 95%); but in view of the high risk context, you should be tested again 3 months after the event.
Next time 1) always know and share HIV status with your partners and 2) use a condom. Even if any particular exposure is low risk, if you continue occasional unprotected anal sex with other men of unknown HIV status, it is highly likely you will acquire HIV someday.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Next time 1) always know and share HIV status with your partners and 2) use a condom. Even if any particular exposure is low risk, if you continue occasional unprotected anal sex with other men of unknown HIV status, it is highly likely you will acquire HIV someday.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
I still cant be satisfied that I am ok, especially because I dont know the guy and his activities.
How sure can I be that Im in the clear so I can get on with my life?
The tests are what they are; standard HIV testing (current generation ELISA) will detect approximately 90-95% of infections by 4 weeks, 95-98% by 6 weeks, and 99%+ by 3 months. Let's take 4 weeks and say the test will pick up 90% of infections. Now consider someone whose risk of catching HIV was very low to start, say 1 in 100,000.That person's negative result at 4 weeks means there is only a 1 in a million chance he or she has HIV. That's low enough that can be considered definite. [In epidemiologic terms, the "negative predictive value" of the test, or NPV, is 0.9999999.] Now consider Steve888, who might have had a 1 in 200 risk of catching HIV. The 90% value at 4 weeks, reduces his risk to 1 in 2000, or NPV of 0.9995. That's pretty good, but it's 500-fold less good than 1 in a million; and most people would not be happy with that level of certainty. So Steve888 needs testing at 3 months, when the test detects 99% (probably 99.9%) of infections.
HHH, MD
From what I understand based on the research I've done, the odds of aquiring HIV from this type of exposure is 6.5 in 10,000 (0.06%) IF the receptive partner is pos. Also, most people will have detectable antibodies at 25 days on average. Therefore, a test at 6 weeks can be considered pretty reliable. Nevertheless, due to the risk involved, it is recommended that you re-test at 12/ 13 weeks (3 mos) for a definitive result. I was exposed on 12/05/05; unprotected insertive anal sex