HIV test

[b3b3kterbang]

Doc,

I am a 34 year old male (heterosexual), on 22 march i had a oral sex (unprotected) and intercourse (vaginal) (protected), last week 19th of April i had a really high fever and chills, the next day the fever break down, the following week i had a low grade fever, a body rash (macolupapular on chest and face) red skin on the whole body, and a sore throat (i think there's an ulcer in my tonsils), feeling panic i take a test frenzy on the 22nd (PCR RNA Test, CD4/CD8, and HIV test - Vidas HIV Duo Ultra), i just got the result today, undetected on the viral test (PCR RNA), non reactive on the Vidas HIV Duo Ultra, however my CD4 is really low its 309 (25%) supposed to be between 400 and 1000.

1. Can i get your opinion in this?
2. Should i still worry for HIV exposure?
3. Why are my CD4 is really low (under the minimal threshold)? will i get opportunistic infection due to the low CD4?
4. is the test conclusive and i dont have HIV?

thank you doc.

regards,

[b3b3kterbang]

Thank you doctor its really helpful, btw my correspondence with dr HHH is more than a year ago.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to the Forum.  This question seems to be the same question that Dr. Handsfield answered for you about a month ago and his results are still applicable. The exposure you mention was rather low risk (no single episode of heterosexual sex is high risk for HIV.  Even if your partner was infected, less the 1/10th of 1% of such exposures lead to infection).  Further, the tests you mention provide conclusive evidence that you were not infected. The CD4 count in persons with negative other tests for HIV is useless and a waste of money becasue the CD4 count can be affected by many other sorts of illnesses,

If you are worried that your symptoms suggest that an HIV infection was missed by your earlier testing, that is not a concern. When tests and symptoms disagree, the tests should always be believed.  The symptoms you describe could be caused by many different things other than HIV.

In answer to your specific questions:
1. Can i get your opinion in this?
see above.

2. Should i still worry for HIV exposure?
I would not.

3. Why are my CD4 is really low (under the minimal threshold)? will i get opportunistic infection due to the low CD4?
See above.

4. is the test conclusive and i dont have HIV?
Yes, this test, as Dr. Handsfield told you before, is the equivilant of the DUO (combined HIV antigen/antibody) test and provides conclusive results at 4 weeks after exposure.  

I hope this comment is helpful to you.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thanks for the clarification and I am glad I could help.  EWH