Aa
Indeterminate WB test
Hello
About 5 weeks ago i had sex with prostitute. It was a protected sex (with condom) all the way (oral and vaginal), no kissing. As far as i checked, condom did not break or tear. The girl stated that she was tested for STDs recently and had none (this cannot be checked independently, of course)
After regretting it all the way after, decided to do STD test in a primacare location (walk-in clinic). All other std's came clear, but blood test for HIV (western blot) shows "indeterminate" result, band p24 equivocal, all others absent. The doctor there is testing me again. I'm slowly freaking out until the results will be back.
Reading the literature, about half of the people have some symptoms of early HIV (fever, rush, lymph nodes enlarged). I had none of any symptoms so far, nothing is unusual in my health. I do currently get the antibiotics for bacterial infection (yeast) that my wife has (for years now) and it got onto me already several times before, long before the encounter. Yeast infection is gone now, but was present at the time i got tested with WB for first time.
Can anyone tell me if i'm at considerable risk here? What other health problem can cause the p24 antibody to appear?
About 5 weeks ago i had sex with prostitute. It was a protected sex (with condom) all the way (oral and vaginal), no kissing. As far as i checked, condom did not break or tear. The girl stated that she was tested for STDs recently and had none (this cannot be checked independently, of course)
After regretting it all the way after, decided to do STD test in a primacare location (walk-in clinic). All other std's came clear, but blood test for HIV (western blot) shows "indeterminate" result, band p24 equivocal, all others absent. The doctor there is testing me again. I'm slowly freaking out until the results will be back.
Reading the literature, about half of the people have some symptoms of early HIV (fever, rush, lymph nodes enlarged). I had none of any symptoms so far, nothing is unusual in my health. I do currently get the antibiotics for bacterial infection (yeast) that my wife has (for years now) and it got onto me already several times before, long before the encounter. Yeast infection is gone now, but was present at the time i got tested with WB for first time.
Can anyone tell me if i'm at considerable risk here? What other health problem can cause the p24 antibody to appear?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's good to hear. However, I recommend you insist the doctor's office give you all the details of all the test results. It is your right to have copies of the actual lab reports. In case of another indeterminate or uncertain HIV test result in the future, you'll have documentation to show your doctor.
Anyway, the result is good news. Best wishes.
Anyway, the result is good news. Best wishes.
ok, second test came back just now, says "non-reactive". Have no idea what kind of test that was, receptionist handed the results to me and doctor's note that says - "result negative, you are clear".
So the cause of the previous test will remain a mistery
So the cause of the previous test will remain a mistery
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Childhood infections don't cause indeterminate HIV tests. I won't have any other comments until your additional test results are available.
I do not know what additional tests are in the works, doctor was very quick on me - ordered the new one and was gone. Sorry that i'm not more specific.
As for the encounter - i described it exactly as it happened, did not omit anything, Unless i'm super unlucky and catched it despite wearing a condom, my hunch is that it is something specific about me that produces p24 antigen. As a wild guess, i had quite a few of the infectious diseases as a kid, including chicken pox, mumps, rubella and measles (i was born in eastern europe where vaccines were not so available as is in the US back then). As far as i can read wikipedia, all of them are viral and perhaps produce similarly looking or even same antibodies?, but this is going into guessing here.
As for the encounter - i described it exactly as it happened, did not omit anything, Unless i'm super unlucky and catched it despite wearing a condom, my hunch is that it is something specific about me that produces p24 antigen. As a wild guess, i had quite a few of the infectious diseases as a kid, including chicken pox, mumps, rubella and measles (i was born in eastern europe where vaccines were not so available as is in the US back then). As far as i can read wikipedia, all of them are viral and perhaps produce similarly looking or even same antibodies?, but this is going into guessing here.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Well, I'm puzzled -- as I said, I've never heard of WB being done except when an initial standard HIV antibody test was done first. And as I also said, the exposure -- as you describe it -- carried little if any risk for HIV. However, your doctor is correct that an equivocal WB showing a p24 band is worrisome.
You still haven't told me what additional test (or tests) is/are in the works. I would recommend a duo test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen) and a PCR test for HIV DNA or RNA. You might consider asking for referral to an infectious diseases specialist, or other doc with extensive experience in HIV/AIDS.
As for the cause of a false positive p24 antibody result on WB, I already told you all I know: "The reasons for false positve and indeterminate HIV test results are not known."
You still haven't told me what additional test (or tests) is/are in the works. I would recommend a duo test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen) and a PCR test for HIV DNA or RNA. You might consider asking for referral to an infectious diseases specialist, or other doc with extensive experience in HIV/AIDS.
As for the cause of a false positive p24 antibody result on WB, I already told you all I know: "The reasons for false positve and indeterminate HIV test results are not known."
i saw the printed report - it was only WB page with indeterminate result highlighted. It said p24 under findings tab and recommendation to retest in 4-6 weeks. The doctor did not seem to be very knowledgeable in interpreting the report - he said that he is very worrying about it. Perhaps he rarely sees these tests - after all, Primacare walk-ins mostly treat common infections? And he ordered the repeat test right away.
Anyhow, i will see it in 2-3 days, but just trying to calm down in the meantime. As i said, the probability of having HIV in my lifetime prior to this encounter is absolutely zero and you just explained that my exposure during this encounter is also close to zero. The remaining question - what else could have caused this p24 antibody ?
Anyhow, i will see it in 2-3 days, but just trying to calm down in the meantime. As i said, the probability of having HIV in my lifetime prior to this encounter is absolutely zero and you just explained that my exposure during this encounter is also close to zero. The remaining question - what else could have caused this p24 antibody ?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Call your doctor's office -- I think you misunderstood what they said, or maybe a nurse or clerk misunderstood the lab report. No lab ever does HIV Western blot without first doing a standard HIV test. Even if the doctor ordered a WB, the lab would have done a regular test first. If you can't get clear information, ask the doc's office to give you a copy of the actual lab report, then you can tell me exactly what it says.
Also see if you can learn exactly what repeat test(s) are now underway.
Also see if you can learn exactly what repeat test(s) are now underway.
well, i think that WB was the only test, nothing else, Doctor only shown me the printed results of WB test and never mentioned anything about other tests being made prior to WB.
As for prior exposure - it is close to impossible. I have been true to my wife for 13 years until now. She had tested several times when she was pregnant and always negative (last time 4 years back)
sorry for the repeat of the above, was not sure if it reaches you
As for prior exposure - it is close to impossible. I have been true to my wife for 13 years until now. She had tested several times when she was pregnant and always negative (last time 4 years back)
sorry for the repeat of the above, was not sure if it reaches you
well, i think that WB was the only test, nothing else, Doctor only shown me the printed results of WB test and never mentioned anything about other tests being made prior to WB.
As for prior exposure - it is close to impossible. I have been true to my wife for 13 years until now. She had tested several times when she was pregnant and always negative (last time 4 years back)
As for prior exposure - it is close to impossible. I have been true to my wife for 13 years until now. She had tested several times when she was pregnant and always negative (last time 4 years back)
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
It was virtually impossible for you to catch HIV from your commercial sex exposure 5 weeks ago: you give strong evidence that your partner wasn't infected and condom protected sex is virtually 100% risk free if the condom remains intact. On that basis alone, you can assume your indeterminate HIV test results will ultimately be confirmed as negative. In fact, if you had asked before you were tested, I would have advised that no HIV testing was necessary on account of that exposure.
Presumably you had a weakly positive or indeterminate standard HIV antibody test before the Western blot was done. (WB would not have been done otherwise.) Most indeterminate tests, both standard and WB, eventually resolve as negative. On the other hand, a p24 band is always suspicious for a true positive result. The reasons for false positve and indeterminate HIV test results are not known. Your wife's yeast infection or its treatment have nothing to do with it.
Did you in fact have a positive antibody test before the WB was done? What additional tests has your doctor done? The usual approach in this situation would be to test you for both HIV DNA (or RNA) and a follow-up antibody test, including another Western blot.
In the unlikely event you turn out to actually have HIV, probably you got it somewhere else, not from the sexual exposure 5 weeks ago.
I may have more to say if you can provide the missing test details, or after you have the results on the repeat tests being done.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
It was virtually impossible for you to catch HIV from your commercial sex exposure 5 weeks ago: you give strong evidence that your partner wasn't infected and condom protected sex is virtually 100% risk free if the condom remains intact. On that basis alone, you can assume your indeterminate HIV test results will ultimately be confirmed as negative. In fact, if you had asked before you were tested, I would have advised that no HIV testing was necessary on account of that exposure.
Presumably you had a weakly positive or indeterminate standard HIV antibody test before the Western blot was done. (WB would not have been done otherwise.) Most indeterminate tests, both standard and WB, eventually resolve as negative. On the other hand, a p24 band is always suspicious for a true positive result. The reasons for false positve and indeterminate HIV test results are not known. Your wife's yeast infection or its treatment have nothing to do with it.
Did you in fact have a positive antibody test before the WB was done? What additional tests has your doctor done? The usual approach in this situation would be to test you for both HIV DNA (or RNA) and a follow-up antibody test, including another Western blot.
In the unlikely event you turn out to actually have HIV, probably you got it somewhere else, not from the sexual exposure 5 weeks ago.
I may have more to say if you can provide the missing test details, or after you have the results on the repeat tests being done.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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