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Avatar universal

HIV risk?Do i need further testing?

Hello Doctor,
A little over seven weeks ago i had protected(with condom)oral and vaginal sex with an escort.At no time during the encounter did the condom slip off.I took the condom off myself after i finished and it seemed intact.I didn't really inspect it though.I have been told if the condom broke,i would definately had known.I didn't have any open sores on me other than maybe a shaving nick,if that even matters.
Out of guilt and anxiety,i had an antibody blood draw done at my doctor's office at 35 days,and an Oraquick oral swab test done at exactly 7 weeks.Both were negative.
My question is,considering my risk was low,and the results of the two tests being negative,can i consider myself 100%o.k.and move on?Or should i be tested again at 3 months?And can you explain why?
I have talked to numerous counsellors on HIV hotlines and they all tell me i had no risk and shouldn't have tested in the first place.
Thank you for all your help.  
5 Responses
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239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.

This was a very low risk exposure. Most escorts, i.e. expensive female sex workers by appointment, do not have HIV, on average, probably under 1 in 1000.  And condoms are highly effective. Like the counselors you spoke with, I also wouldn't have recommended HIV testing at all after this exposure.

In any case, your negative test results are highly reliable. Although official advice remains testing 3 months after the last exposure, tests at 5 and 7 weeks are virtually 100% conclusive.  You don't need any more tests, unless you would like perhaps additional reassurance from another negative result at the official three-month interval.

I hope this is been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe--  HHH, MD
Helpful - 1
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"can i assume you were going by my 5 week blood draw antibody test as being 100%?"  Yes.

So all is well.  You can move on without worry.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for the thread doctor.Since i have read in other threads by you that you say the oral swab test takes a while to be accurate can i assume you were going by my 5 week blood draw antibody test as being 100%?
I also have read a recent thread where you advised another reader about how condoms DO work and unless they completely rupture wide open then the user is protected.That was my other concern as well.After reading that,now i see why you and the hotline counsellers told me i didn't need to test in the first place.
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Here's a thread that explains it, including the reasons that official advice often is 3 months despite scientific evidence for earlier times:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700

Thanks for the thanks.  I'm glad to have helped.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you very much doctor.I wasn't aware that negative tests at 5 and 7 weeks were virtually 100% conclusive.
I will do my best to move on.Thanks for your expert advice.
Helpful - 0

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