Index value of HIV test,scared!!

Hello doctors,
My experience was more than six months ago,I will describe it briefly :Receiving unprotected oral,protected vaginal sex, also fresh wound on my finger.

I did following test:HIV 1/2 CMIA after 6,8,13,17,24 weeks all Negative

then i did one final test which was exactly after 6 months(in different country),the result was:
HIV 1/2: 0.86 Negative (reference ranges: up to 1)
they wrote the index value this time.

i have persistent cough since 4 months,i went to many doctors without being able to diagnoses it! and i am afraid that maybe it could be related to HIV infection.

In one post,Dr.Edward has mentioned that if the person is infected with rare hiv strain,his result will be equivocal and need further testing.as i understand the equivocal result means index value higher than 0.9.My index value is 0.86,means only 0.04 far from the borderline ! actually that made me really scared specially that the most of results i've read here were below 0.4.However,i have been told form the lab doctor that there is no overlapping between positive and negative curves and that the shadow region is no longer exist,but still worried about rare HIV strains.

my questions are:
1- Regardless of my previous test results,is my index value result 0.86 considered equivocal? is it considered high and maybe need more test or is it normal? is there any interpretation why it is 'high'?

2- I have been told from one doctor that even if one is HIV+,he will not have such persistent cough in the early stage (after two months) maybe after some years when his immune system goes down.
i need your opinion doctors,Is the persistent cough assigned with HIV early infection?

3- Are my tests cover all HIV strains and i am now conclusively negative taking in account my final result with index value of 0.86 and no further test is required?

4-With the new test technology are there any cases where the seroconvert occurred after 6 months?

Thank you so much.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I understand how fearful you are.  But these are your obsessions talking.  It is harming you to keep searching the web and worrying about this.  You're just going to have to work to accept the scientific evidence that you did not catch HIV; as we discussed last May, your test results prove it -- period, full stop, no need for discussion.  

1) That result is negative, not equivocal.  Below the positive index value, the numerical result is meaningless.  
2) Your doctor is correct.  Persistent cought is not a symptom of a new or early HIV infection.
3) All HIV strains that exist in Germany and other industrialized countries are covered by the tests you had.
4) No, it never takes 6 months -- especially with a 4th generation ("duo", "combo") test for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen.

Your fears are irrational, and obviously they are not going to clear up merely by repeating the scientific facts as I have done.  You are going to need professional mental health care to get over this.  I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.  However, this forum is not a substitute for that.  There will be no follow-up discussion or comments on this thread.

Also, MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on each of the professionally moderated forums.  This is your third in 7 months.  You may not post another on this forumn before next March; if you do, it will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee.

HHH, MD

[greenmoon]

Only one last question to cover all my concerns please:
Since i have read in this forum that there is test named :HIV 1/0/2 that it used to detect all strains including subgroup O, i 've tried to take this test here in EU but i have been told that HIV 1 and 2 CMIA test can detect all strains,it seems that they dont have it here.
so please tell me does the HIV 1/0/2 test give better accurate result with respect to rare strains compared with CMIA test? or they gives they provide same accuracy?

Thank you so much in advance.

[greenmoon]

Thank you doctor for your reply, actually i have visited psychotherapy already and i am working to solve this problem with him, i told him that i need to get final scientific information that i need and i will not ask any question anymore. this why i made this post.

i would like to ask you please to just make a small comment about my last question.
Does the HIV 1/0/2 test give the same accuracy with respect to rare strains compared with CMIA test?

of course that will be my last question and i wish that will answer it please.

thank you so much in advance and god bless you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Yes, that test is just as reliable.