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Delayed seroconversion

Guys,I didn't think I would ever write in to ask a question but I guess its true what they say that life happens!!!!I'm a 28yr old circumcised male from East Africa who had sex in November with an HIV+ lady with a condom,the very thin type(Bareback-Contempo). I checked it after and it hadn't broken whatsoever!!!
In January, I got a high grade fever,rash (I'd never had a rash in my life!!!) and all my blood workup was twisted,low WBC's etc,I have lost 14KG in weight!!
I did 3 antibody tests on 24th Feb,105 days post incident with stat-pak,determine and unigold recombigen and they are all non-reactive. I had unprotected sex in December with my galfrnd,having thought there was no risk in my ealier misadventure and she got a rash aswell,2 weeks after but took an antibody test 9weeks after the rash and it was non-reactive. 1-What on earth is not happening?Could it be that we are both slow-sero-converters? 2-Should I consider the tests conclusive? 3-Why would a condom that hasn't broken get me infected? Am so confused!!!!
Best Answer
1563685 tn?1310402354
Try getting Western Blot test, it's confirmatory, at 3 months post-exposure it is possible to get false positive and if such happens, WB test is used to confirm whether it's false or true positive; meaning the result is FINAL. Believe me there have been some stories of those getting rapid tests and get some positive and negative and they are referred to WB and the result came out conclusively either positive or negative.

But at 3 months post-exposure, it is impossible to get false negative unless you're on special conditions I described above.
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Avatar universal
Hi, ngo1,

Since your story doesn't add up, we really don't have any answers for you, other than the ones that have been provided -- that is, it is NOT possible to contract HIV under the circumstances you describe, nor do symptoms manifest themselves in the sequence you describe.  We wish you the very best of luck and encourage you to consult your physician so that he can begin to assess your case.

                                             ***This thread is now closed***
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Avatar universal
Your story is not believable.
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Avatar universal
Nick,it was from my protected sex episode. I do not know how though. I don't have to prove to u coz the pain am going thru is enough already but just to clarify on the testing issue;in Uganda u can buy and use as many test strips as u want from any pharmacy of ur choice so i had to get all those kits and run them just to satisfy myself. I'm gutted abt this,pliz don't make it any worse
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Avatar universal
If positive it was not from the exposures he posted. Simple as that!

He stated just 7 hours ago that,  "I've done 2rapid tests since and they are all positive.whats strange is till the 24th of Feb,15weeks after the episode,they were all negative" BUT now it is 20 tests done! You must have been busy testing

Rapid testing taking approx. 20 min each x 20 tests = thats almost 7 hours of testing from when you were here last! and thats if you stayed at one clinic and tested 20 times. 20 tests in one sitting what clinic would give you this number of tests in a row after the second or third test was positive they would stop (Saying there was no WB or any type of confirmation test)

Not saying you are ling BUT if this all truly happened it was not from your protected sex
Helpful - 0
1563685 tn?1310402354
Or alternatively, you may try to find out whether WB is available in Nairobi if there's none in Uganda.
Helpful - 0
1563685 tn?1310402354
Same rapids or different ones? Try lab test though, is there one in your country?
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Avatar universal
am afraid its positive.i've run 20 rapids and they r all reactive,why me?
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Avatar universal
Sorry, meant to address that to you.
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Avatar universal
I think the most likely explanation is that your tests today were false positives. You are severely overtesting over this incident, and the more times you test the higher probability that you will eventually get a false positive.
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Avatar universal
josse,i did use a condom albeit the thin one and i did it once,it didn't break which is why am baffled,sooo baffled!
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Avatar universal
All I can tell you is that if your symptoms in January were seroconversion symptoms, your HIV tests on the the 24th of February would have been positive. If you are truly HIV positive, it was not from the condom-protected sex you had in November, but from another exposure that you have not mentioned yet.

However, you are not HIV positive until you have had a positive result on a Western Blot, and I have a difficult time believing that a Western Blot would not be available to you in Uganda. Surely if you can get a DNA PCR test for HIV 'tomorrow' where you live, you can find a lab that will perform a Western Blot. DNA PCR tests are not routinely used to confirm positive antibody results and are not approved for such use. You need to get the right confirmation test and that is a Western Blot.
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Avatar universal
1.NO
2.I've unigold recomnigen and abbott determine
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Avatar universal
Two questions for you:

1. Have you had unprotected sex with your girlfriend since December?

2. What was the brand of the rapid tests that you took today?
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Avatar universal
hope,I've done repeat rapid tests.In Africa,we rarely do WB and instead use a series of rapid tests.am thinking abt doing a DNA.PCR tmrw then wait for a week for the results.given my earlier symptoms and the this result,i'm not holding out much hope but hey,what more can I do?I kept thinking after 15weeks of negatives,i was out of the woods but clearly am not
Helpful - 0
1519393 tn?1306802108
What is being done to confirm you are HIV positive?
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Avatar universal
nick,I've done lots of soul searching,asked myself numerous questions but with no answers.what am telling u is the truth.I've done 2rapid tests since and they are all positive.whats strange is till the 24th of Feb,15weeks after the episode,they were all negative.
I think its the condom,it didnt break,i checked it after.am so devastated,where do I go from here?somebody ever had of holes in condoms?
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Avatar universal
Did you have a second test after your pos result?

If you tested positive it was not from the exposures you have described on here, but something from your past or your not telling us the entire story.

If your condom did not break you had NO RISK and could not have been infected from this.

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Avatar universal
guys,just have some bad news.i did a test this mrng and it came out positive!from my risk assesment,i dont know how i got infected but i think its the thin condoms.am so devastated and can't get myself to do anything.why me?????I'm circumcised,used a condom that am sure never broke.i think it has something to do with the heat under which they r kept that could hve messed up the latex.somebody help me understand!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
188761 tn?1584567620
COMMUNITY LEADER
No disrespect but if you're really a GP and treating HIV/AIDS patient with such a poor know-how of the subject, you need to stop treating them until you take those hours to update your self about possible HIV risks, transmissions and testing protocols. I know medicine is what you for your living but keep it limited to every thing than this sensitive disease.
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Avatar universal
Thanks Ricky,that's my only concerning exposure
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1563685 tn?1310402354
Well, you had no risk. And even if you insist on getting yourself tested (which we don't recommend for being redundant), the result will come out conclusively negative if the intercourse you described above is your only concern.

Again: 3 months post-exposure at normal conditions, 6 months for the special conditions I described above.
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Avatar universal
Fine then,thanks a lot.I can sleep easier tonight,will write in after am done with my 4 month test
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Avatar universal
This thread has gone on way too long, lets just end it.
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