Anxiety and risk

[help2468]

Hey Dr H.H.H

A few months ago I had sex with an Australian sex worker at a brothel. As soon as I did this I immediately began getting anxious about HIV. The sex was all condom protected and I'm pretty sure it didn't break. I went and had a HIV DUO test at 17 days post exposure and was negative.

I wanted to ask,

1. Is it at all possible to get HIV using a condom.
2. Is my test fairly accurate at this time? I have read that at the time of my test p24 antigen is extremely high and would most likely show up, is this true?
3. I have seen on some other posts that the DUO test could be accurate at 2 weeks?

There is a lot of conflicting information and I have found your site to be the most honest and accurate of the lot.
I hope you can help me out.

Cheers

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Scroll down; the 12/25 comment is there.  In any case, you can expect any further HIV tests you do to remain negative.

[help2468]

Thanks Dr, I did not see a comment on December 25 only the 22nd. However I will take the advice given and be retested for peace of mind.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

See the thread linked below, in particular my comment dated December 25:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV---Prevention/Are-my-test-conclusive/show/2064508

That will be all for this thread.  Re-read my replies above and accept the scientific evidence and the reasoned reassurance you have had.  I won't have any more comments or advice.

[help2468]

Just to clarify Dr. I understand that the antibodies clear the p24 from your blood, would it take a large number of antibodies to do this ? And if so would the antibodies be detectable on a duo test by this stage?

Cheers

[help2468]

Thanks for your fast response Dr. I intend to take another test for personal comfort. 80-90% is very reassuring, if more sites offered accurate information as this one does there would be fewer people getting so worked up over there risk. Hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl, I was cheering for a Seahawks win!

Cheers

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your kind comments about our services.

Heterosexually transmitted HIV is uncommon in Australia and few sex workers there have HIV.  And anyway, you had condom protected sex, and condoms work.

1) With a properly used condom that doesn't break, the risk of HIV is zero for all practical purposes, even if your partner had HIV.

2,3) Your negative duo test at 17 days probably is around 80-90% reliable.  The same test will be conclusive at 4 weeks or more after the exposure.

Australia's federally funded sexual health centres are, collectively, the world's very best network of STD/HIV prevention clinics.  For further reassurance and world-class advice about further testing, consider visiting your nearest  SHC, if you haven't yet done so.  I'm sure you'll find their advice similar to mine.

In the meantime, do your best not to worry.  There is virtually no chance you have HIV; you can expect any future test results to remain negative.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD