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Prednisone and meningitis vaccine affect on window period
Dear Doctor,
I am a healthy 35 years male.
I had an encounter with csw on 9 Jan 2014 vaginal sex for 10 mins.
I am uncertain of the effectiveness of condom, it was provided by CSW
After that encounter I was very anxious and depressed.
I took the following test on 21 Feb 2014 after 42 days of exposure
Antibody test rapid HIV 1&2 result negative
Antibody test Enhanced chemo luminescence immuno assay HIV 1&2 result negative index value 0.05 (I don't know much about this test this is not ELISA I believe)
HIV 1 Real Time PCR RNA result BELOW DETECTION limit <71.6 IU/ml negative detection limit 71.6 copies (I don't know much about this test, microbiologist at the lab assured that the results from this test after 6 weeks with antibody combination are conclusive)
I was on prednisone 5 mg tablet for 1 month from July 4 2013 to Aug 4 2013
I stopped this tablet almost 5 months before my encounter.
Will this tablet affect my test result.
I took a meningitis vaccine shot on Jan 26 2014, 3 weeks before the test will this affect window period
Are the above test which I took after 42 days are reliable and conclusive
If I had to test again will 3 months test result opt the medication & vaccine which I took or Do I need to retest till 6 months
Thank you so much for your professional advise and care.
I am a healthy 35 years male.
I had an encounter with csw on 9 Jan 2014 vaginal sex for 10 mins.
I am uncertain of the effectiveness of condom, it was provided by CSW
After that encounter I was very anxious and depressed.
I took the following test on 21 Feb 2014 after 42 days of exposure
Antibody test rapid HIV 1&2 result negative
Antibody test Enhanced chemo luminescence immuno assay HIV 1&2 result negative index value 0.05 (I don't know much about this test this is not ELISA I believe)
HIV 1 Real Time PCR RNA result BELOW DETECTION limit <71.6 IU/ml negative detection limit 71.6 copies (I don't know much about this test, microbiologist at the lab assured that the results from this test after 6 weeks with antibody combination are conclusive)
I was on prednisone 5 mg tablet for 1 month from July 4 2013 to Aug 4 2013
I stopped this tablet almost 5 months before my encounter.
Will this tablet affect my test result.
I took a meningitis vaccine shot on Jan 26 2014, 3 weeks before the test will this affect window period
Are the above test which I took after 42 days are reliable and conclusive
If I had to test again will 3 months test result opt the medication & vaccine which I took or Do I need to retest till 6 months
Thank you so much for your professional advise and care.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Asking the same questions in different words won't change my opinion or advice. Maybe there is an English understanding problem?
Your prednisone treatment has NO effect on your HIV test results.
Your prednisone treatment has NO effect on your HIV test results.
Hi Doctor,
The dose of prednisone I took was for canker sour in mouth 5 mg soluble tablet to rinse the mouth and spit it out for 1 month I never swallowed it. This was in the month of May 2013. I stopped taking that 4 Jun 2013
So will it still be in my system for 7 months and tamper my hiv test
Will this tablet also effect PCR test result
Thank you so much for your esteemed professional support and care
The dose of prednisone I took was for canker sour in mouth 5 mg soluble tablet to rinse the mouth and spit it out for 1 month I never swallowed it. This was in the month of May 2013. I stopped taking that 4 Jun 2013
So will it still be in my system for 7 months and tamper my hiv test
Will this tablet also effect PCR test result
Thank you so much for your esteemed professional support and care
Thanks a lot Dr
I can keep all the symptoms I stated above a side now
I can keep all the symptoms I stated above a side now
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your negative test results prove your symptoms were not due to HIV. And they don't sound like HIV anyway; among other things, they started too soon. You can't have HIV symptoms earlier than 8-10 days after exposure. And they also cannot start later than 2-3 weeks.
And by the way, the dose of prednisone you had was minuscule, with absolutely no effect on your immune system or HIV test results.
So no worries. All is well.
And by the way, the dose of prednisone you had was minuscule, with absolutely no effect on your immune system or HIV test results.
So no worries. All is well.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. THanks for your question.
Reacting first to the title of your question: There are no medications or medical conditions known to interfere with HIV test reliability or the window period. In theory, potent immunosuppressive drugs or cancer chemotherapy might do it, but even these are theoretical only, with no reported cases that it actually happened. Prednisone is immunosuppressive, but the usual doses for most conditions aren't nearly high enough to worry about it. Vaccines for sure have no effect.
Now I've looked at the question itself and at your thread on the community forum. As you were told there, this exposure carried no significant HIV risk. Condoms work; if it had failed (broken wide open) there might be a concern, but there is no such thing as microscopic leaks that allow HIV/STD transmission. That's an urban myth.
But most important, no matter how high or low your risk at the time, your negative test results are 100% proof you didn't catch HIV. The combination of antibody plus a direct test for HIV (PCR), at the times you had them, is conclusive. You don't need any other testing at 3 months or any other time. All is well and you can go forward with 100% confidence you don't have HIV.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Reacting first to the title of your question: There are no medications or medical conditions known to interfere with HIV test reliability or the window period. In theory, potent immunosuppressive drugs or cancer chemotherapy might do it, but even these are theoretical only, with no reported cases that it actually happened. Prednisone is immunosuppressive, but the usual doses for most conditions aren't nearly high enough to worry about it. Vaccines for sure have no effect.
Now I've looked at the question itself and at your thread on the community forum. As you were told there, this exposure carried no significant HIV risk. Condoms work; if it had failed (broken wide open) there might be a concern, but there is no such thing as microscopic leaks that allow HIV/STD transmission. That's an urban myth.
But most important, no matter how high or low your risk at the time, your negative test results are 100% proof you didn't catch HIV. The combination of antibody plus a direct test for HIV (PCR), at the times you had them, is conclusive. You don't need any other testing at 3 months or any other time. All is well and you can go forward with 100% confidence you don't have HIV.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I also had several symptoms during this time
2nd day after exposure blister on public hairs below navel button
3rd day ulcers in mouth went off in 4 days
5th day rash itchy red bumps on face hands like hives still coming and going
If the above symptoms were due to HIV will the test don't pick them up
Will the symptoms start after 6 weeks and still exist at 10 weeks
2nd day after exposure blister on public hairs below navel button
3rd day ulcers in mouth went off in 4 days
5th day rash itchy red bumps on face hands like hives still coming and going
If the above symptoms were due to HIV will the test don't pick them up
Will the symptoms start after 6 weeks and still exist at 10 weeks
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