Some Questions

Dear Experts,

On the 26th of December 2012 i had a sexual encounter with an illegal sex worker picked up from the street. We had only vaginal intercourse using her own condom which i dont know if it was at a good condition, expired or FDA approved to prevent Sexually transmitted infections. The only that i remember is that the intercourse lasted for about 3 minutes and the condom after we finished was in place and not broken. At least this is what i remember.

ON the 4th of February 40 days after i when and gave blood for an HIV 1/2 p24 architect test and i got the results 2 days later which indicates NON REACTIVE. On that day at the end of the 6th week after what happened and till today i got the following: sore throat, extreme fatigue (never the same before), couldn't get out of bed (today this is better) extreme muscle and joint pains and some stomach pains. On the 3rd of February i had unprotected sex with my wife and as from yesterday 6 days after we had sex she has the same symptoms as i have plus dry cough.
My questions are:

1. Protected sex: Why FDA says that condoms are not 100% safe? I m i safe by using a condom or not?
2. 40 days duo HIV 1/2 p24 architect test negative. Can i rely on this and move on with my life and be sure that i m HIV negative?
3. Is it a coincidence that both me and my wife have the same symptoms during the period i worry that i might got infected and also infected her?
4. Can these symptoms be due to ARS?
5. Do i need more test or i m HIV NEGATIVE

Thanks for your reply doctor and sorry for the long story but i m very worried

Thanks  

[Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia, MD, MRCGP, PhD]

Hello,
Thank you for your post.  Here are the answers to your questions:
1. Protected sex: Why FDA says that condoms are not 100% safe? I m i safe by using a condom or not?   THIS IS BECAUSE CONDOMS CAN BREAK AND CAN COME OFF.  PROVIDED THEY REMAIN IN PLACE AND INTACT, THAT IS CONSIDERED SAFE.  IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR SEXUAL ENCOUNTER WAS SAFE.
2. 40 days duo HIV 1/2 p24 architect test negative. Can i rely on this and move on with my life and be sure that i m HIV negative? YES, THIS IS FINAL AND FULLY CONCLUSIVE.  YOU ARE HIV NEGATIVE.
3. Is it a coincidence that both me and my wife have the same symptoms during the period i worry that i might got infected and also infected her?
YOUR SYMPTOMS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HIV.  THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH AN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION, WHICH YOU HAVE TRANSMITTED TO YOUR WIFE.  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS AFTER ONLY 6 DAYS OF HAVING BECOME INFECTED WITH HIV.  I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED.  YOU BOTH MIGHT JUST NEED A COURSE OF ANTIBIOTICS.
4. Can these symptoms be due to ARS? I DO NOT BELIEVE SO.
5. Do i need more test or i m HIV NEGATIVE
NO, YOU DO NOT NEED ANY FIRTHER HIV TESTS.  YOU ARE HIV NEGATIVE.

Kind regards,
Dr José

[nick264]

Just to add that since last night my flu got worse i couldn't sleep last night from my stuffed noise and muscle pains. My throat now is even worse

[nick264]

Dear Doctor,

Thank you very much for your reply!

Just one more thing: on the next day of the above encounter i had to take cortisone because of an asthma outbreak i had with the dosage: 2 pills per day for 2 days 16 mg every pill, another 2 days one and half pill per day, another 2 days 1 pill per day another  days half pill per day and another 2 days a quarter of a pill per day. At the same time i have a machine that i put liquid medicines in it and i breath them as a steam and they also have cortisone. Can this cortisone affect the result of my test

Thanks