31 day ab/ag p24 negative, 41 day antibody negtive

Dear Dr Hansfield..first of all Id like to say that you are doing a wonderful service through this forum. Your liberal yet calculated assessments have helped thousands of people like me. Id Like to summarise my situation:-

Im a 32 yr old non iv drug user, indian hetrosexual male married for past 6 yrs with no act of extra marital sex.

on 19th Dec 2011 with an escort, deep kissing, fingering, frotting with my underwear on. Protected penetrative vaginal sex, did not ejaculate inside, condom intact.

Out of guilt and being first time I started thinking of all the ways in which i could ve got affected.

Did antibody at 24 days- negative ( blood sample)
ag/ab +p24 at 31 days-negative (blood sample)
simple ag/ab at 41 days-negative (blood sample)

as of today im into 7-8 week and havent had any rash,fever or soar throat whatsoever.

Ive read your numerous replies on the matter and window period but need reassurance from your side for:-
1) do i need to retest at 8 weeks or 12 weeks or can i forget it and conclusively rule it out?
2) is p-24 test done by any method or generation equally effective?
3) the mind starts playing games with me and whenever i read about 3 month testing i freak out.

Pls Help

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  Dr. Handsfield and I share the forum.  You got me.  FYI, the reason we share the forum is because we have worked together for nearly 30 years and while our verbiage styles vary, we have never disagreed on management strategies or advice to clients.

The encounter you describe was virtually no risk for HIV.  HIV is not spread by condom protected sex, frottage, kissing or masturbation of any sort.  Your test results now prove this.

Different tests are definitive at different times following exposure and this variability is often not well represented in recommendations as to when results become definitive.  A combination HIV p24 antigen/HIV antibody test such as you had at 31 and 41 days is definitive. These tests are definitive at the 28 day (4 week) time point and beyond.  There is no need for you to seek further testing at any time, The results will not change in relationship to the no risk encounter you have described, no matter when you test.

I hope this is helpful. time to move forward without concern. EWH