hiv test

[lalitva]

dear doctor,

i stay in a village in india and i got hiv test atleast 10 times in the past 1 year and all my test were after more than 3months of any risky exposure of hiv.
but all my test were rapid test in which you get result in 5 to 10 minutes as it is only available in my city as i live in small city.
there are two laboratory in my city one uses this test:

1) j mitra tridot  company website www.jmitra.com and test is called hiv tridot test

2) other is hiv 1 and hiv 2 by sd bio standard diagonistics india website www.standardia.com

all my test are negative and done in front of me.
but i did not have elisa test with numbers as all my test were rapid .

i did atleast 10 tests from both companies.
now i read that rapid test is 85 % conclusive
so should i get elisa or western blot test as one year back i did have unprotected sex.
please reply doctor i m a quiet worried?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Yes, 100%.  I don't know whether or not these particular tests are FDA approved; you can easily find out by online searching.  But if not, it's only because the manufacturer may not have applied for FDA approval for marketing in the US; non-approval doesn't mean a test is unreliable.  I'm sure all tests available in India have been approved by the regulatory authorities.

That is definitely the end of this thread.  Any more such nonsense and the entire thread will be immediately deleted.  This is not an anxiety support service for people who have trouble believing or accepting scientific evidence and reasoned reassurance of the sort you have had.

[lalitva]

thanks doctor i wont post again but by 100 u mean 100 percent ( i guess)
AND ARE THESE TESTS FDA APPROVED?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

When done more than 3 months after exposure, those tests are 100 reliable for both HIV types 1 and 2.  The negative results prove you did not catch HIV.

You need to work to accept the scientific evidence and stop obsessing about a sexual exposure you regret, and stop being tested for HIV.  Your previous thread was terminated because you kept asking anxiety-driven questions that ignored the advice you had been given several times by Dr. Hook.  There will be no repeat on this thread; I will have no further comments or advice.

Also please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums, and does not permit repetetive anxiety-driven questions.  Please do not waste your posting fee on a question that would be deleted without reply.  

HHH, MD