Did I get a false postive? Confused by everything out there. Very scared. Please let me know.

[JohnFoster06]

On September 17, 2007, I went to get tested with OraQuick Advance MOUTH SAWB. About 20 minutes later there was a small red thing near the "T". It was not even a full line, just a small red thing. They said it could be reactive. I was shocked. Immediately they did two follow-up tests using a finger stick on OraQuick Advance. Both finger-***** tests were negative. VERY CONFUSED. Next day, I went for another OraQuick mouth swab test. It was negative. I got tested again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks after that horrible day - all finger ***** Oraquick tests, all NEGATIVE.
SEXUAL HISTORY:
a. Jan 6 -- Had sex (with condoms vaginal and without condoms oral, with a girl I know for a long time).
b. Jan 28-- Kissed a girl intensely and sucked her nipples, she told me later that her ex-boyfriend was an injection drug user. I did not have sex with her.
c. Mar 28 -- I noticed after the stripper gave me a lap dance that there was a cut on her thigh. She had cut herself while shaving, there was a band-aid on it. I was fully clothed during this encounter, but there was semen in my pants . 4 wks later I developed strep throat. Doc gave prednisone and amox. It cleared.
d. June 15, (10 weeks from the strip club incident) Tested Neagtive by OraQuick fingerprick Test.
e. July 19 -- I had lap dance. Fully clothed, but there was some semen in my pants.
f. Sept 15,-- I intensely kissed my girlfriend and I felt some blood in my mouth. We are engaged. We did not have oral nor vaginal sex. I should mention, she used to work as a doctor in Africa.
MY QUESTIONS:
Q1.  Finally, I am positive or negative?  Is w blot needed?
Q2.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, If I was exposed to the virus through kissing, can the mouth SWAB show positive BEFORE THE FINGERPRICK i.e. the antibodies can be detected in my mouth but not my blood?
Q3. Could Prednisone make the June 15 test falsely negative?Q4. When can I be 100% sure I am negative? Q4. Should I get any other type of confrimatory testing or test at a later date?

[JohnFoster06]

Thanks doctor. I will rest assured in statement, "my judgment is that you do not need further testing." Thank you!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

It is not credible that you cannot get health care.  Free or low cost care, by people with excellent HIV/AIDS credentials, undoubtedly is  available at your local health department, for example.  But my judgment is that you do not need further testing.  I will have no further comments.

[JohnFoster06]

Thanks for your reply. I am very sorry (but for reasons I cannot explain fully, my company checks my insurance bills and this would be very derogatory, as I have seen in the past with someone else) I cannot go to a doctor. Why do you say "Probably you can be "100% sure" right now?" Please just tell me if I need repeat testing or confrimatory testing. Thanks. Please don't ignore or delete my post. Tell me the type of test and I will get it done.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

1) Almost certainly you are HIV negative.  But why in heaven's name are you asking questions on a distant online forum?  Ask the health care provider who did the testing; or if uncertain about his or her expertise, ask for referral to a specialist.

2) It is not possible to have antibodies to HIV in one site but not the other. The only possibility is that one of the tests was wrong.  Almost certainly it was the initial oral test.

3) Prednisone will not change test results.

4) Probably you can be "100% sure" right now.  But do not rely on this advice; rely on what your own provider tells you, including advice about repeat testing or confirmatory testing.

Finally, all the exposure events you describe are non-exposure events.  Unles you have other exposures you don't describe, there is no realistic chance you could have caught HIV.

Bottom line:  You don't have it, but check with a personal health care provider to be certain.

Good luck--  HHH, MD