HIV false positive ?????

Dear doctor,

The IDC specialist informed me (Sep 25) that I had HIV false positive diagnosis, but I find it very hard to believe. Something doesn’t make sense. The reason I asked for my first in 07 HIV test just out of curiosity during my first medical exam in 5 years. Below is the summary of the two tests that been done to me:

May 25, 07->
HIV 1 ELISA positive
HIV 1 WB indeterminate with gp41 (+-) and gp40 (+-). (+- means a weak band)
HIV 2 ELISA/WB negative.
Hepatitis A/B/C-> negative, Hep A minute trace possibly due to immunity
WBC count at 10.7. Starting the same day I submitted blood, I was ill for two weeks, including sore throat that is still present today. My fiancé was sick as well, but she was cured in two weeks.

The next three months I went from a person who lived the life to fullest to somebody who was barely alive :(. I stopped exercising, eating normally, was living mostly on junk. Started sleeping 11-12 hours (from 7-8). Gained 12 pounds. My throat been sore for entire three months staring the day I tested (before I even found out the results). Three months later I mustered my strength to confirm my worst fear. BTW, my fiancé tested HIV negative after I tested first time.

August 28, 07 (3 months later) ->
HIV 1 ELISA positive
HIV 1 WB indeterminate with gp41 (+-)
HIV 1 DNA PCR-> not detected
HIV 1 RNA BDNA quantitative-> less than detection threshold
HIV 2 ELISA/WB-> negative
ESR=1 (low)
ANA-> negative
Rheumatoid factor-> negative
Syphilis-> Negative
WBC count 5500, Lymphocytes -> 1950, CD4 38%, CD4 counts 721, helper/suppressor T cell ratio =1.65

Doctor said that I had false positive HIV test and that I will continue to test ELISA positive. It doesn’t make sense. I had many HIV tests done before without a single ELISA failure: in 1998 before I moved to USA, then in 1999 when joining USA army, 2001 when being honorably discharged from the Army, 2002 while in college. Haven’t seen doctor in last 5 years due to being healthy. Currently I still have problems sleeping less than 10 hours, and experience weakness/ sleepiness during the day.

1) What happened that I started failing ELISA? What could cause it
2) Can I be infected with HIV O?
3) My last sex partner before my fiancé was my ex-girlfriend in  Feb 2007 (6 months 20 days before second test). Can I still be sero-converting?
4) What could cause my weakness and excessive sleepiness?
5) Any other test I should run? Seeing my gp in 6 days

Thanks a lot
Worried individual

[GOLOKA]

Hey, i am sorry that you have went through so much testing. i understand your results and I will try best to exam them.

Q: Do you have any symptoms ????

Okay Lab results:

Your Elisa seems to be Positive, but WB Is negative.  In other words you are HIV negative.

Are you male or female ? if you female are you pregnant ? Active HHV 6 or 8 or CMV ?

Your May 25, 07 Elisa is + and WB is neg
Your Aug Elisa is + and WB is neg again.  2 or more band has to be extreme positive in order for WB to be positive.

Lot of things can cause false + but two in a same row, no big deal.

Now, your Cd 4 don't seem to be too promising, why did your Cd 4 drop to 700, I have no answer, usually for healthy person that are between 600 - 1500.

So in other words, your immune system is doing fine.

CD 4 % is excellent shap.

And your Cd 4 / Cd 8 ratio is very good 1.65

From what I have read and what I have done research on. I have notice that as soon as you seroconvert, your body drops Cd 4 less than 500 < and than goes back up to say maybe 600 or whatever, but never to 1500 or so.

In addition, the ratio of Cd 4 / Cd 8 will drop below < 1.0

In other words, they will be inverted, in ur case is not such a case.

CD 4 % is the most important thing in noticing how well ur immune system is doing.

Well ur immune system is doing great.

I do not think you have HIV.

Check your Cd 4 / Cd 8 ratio 3 months from now.

If everything is good u are in good shape.

I just thing that you have a protien that binds to HIV E-lisa

CMV, HHV 6, CFIDS, Mycoplasma, anything can cause it.

# Anti-carbohydrate antibodies (52, 19, 13)
# Naturally-occurring antibodies (5, 19)
# Passive immunization: receipt of gamma globulin or immune globulin (as prophylaxis against infection which contains antibodies)(18, 26, 60, 4, 22, 42, 43, 13)
# Leprosy (2, 25)
# Tuberculosis (25)
# Mycobacterium avium (25)
# Systemic lupus erythematosus (15, 23)
# Renal (kidney) failure (48, 23, 13)
# Hemodialysis/renal failure (56, 16, 41, 10, 49)
# Alpha interferon therapy in hemodialysis patients (54)
# Flu (36)
# Flu vaccination (30, 11, 3, 20, 13, 43)
# Herpes simplex I (27)
# Herpes simplex II (11)
# Upper respiratory tract infection (cold or flu)(11)
# Recent viral infection or exposure to viral vaccines (11)
# Pregnancy in multiparous women (58, 53, 13, 43, 36)
# Malaria (6, 12)
# High levels of circulating immune complexes (6, 33)
# Hypergammaglobulinemia (high levels of antibodies) (40, 33)
# False positives on other tests, including RPR (rapid plasma reagent) test for syphilis (17, 48, 33, 10, 49)
# Rheumatoid arthritis (36)
# Hepatitis B vaccination (28, 21, 40, 43)
# Tetanus vaccination (40)
# Organ transplantation (1, 36)
# Renal transplantation (35, 9, 48, 13, 56)
# Anti-lymphocyte antibodies (56, 31)
# Anti-collagen antibodies (found in gay men, haemophiliacs, Africans of both sexes and people with leprosy)(31)
# Serum-positive for rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody (both found in rheumatoid arthritis and other autoantibodies)(14, 62, 53)
# Autoimmune diseases (44, 29, 10, 40, 49, 43): Systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis
# Acute viral infections, DNA viral infections (59, 48, 43, 53, 40, 13)
# Malignant neoplasms (cancers)(40)
# Alcoholic hepatitis/alcoholic liver disease (32, 48, 40,10,13, 49, 43, 53)
# Primary sclerosing cholangitis (48, 53)
# Hepatitis (54)
# "Sticky" blood (in Africans) (38, 34, 40)
# Antibodies with a high affinity for polystyrene (used in the test kits)(62, 40, 3)
# Blood transfusions, multiple blood transfusions (63, 36,13, 49, 43, 41)
# Multiple myeloma (10, 43, 53)
# HLA antibodies (to Class I and II leukocyte antigens)(7, 46, 63, 48, 10, 13, 49, 43, 53)
# Anti-smooth muscle antibody (48)
# Anti-parietal cell antibody (48)
# Anti-hepatitis A IgM (antibody)(48)
# Anti-Hbc IgM (48)
# Administration of human immunoglobulin preparations pooled before 1985 (10)
# Haemophilia (10, 49)
# Haematologic malignant disorders/lymphoma (43, 53, 9, 48, 13)
# Primary biliary cirrhosis (43, 53, 13, 48)
# Stevens-Johnson syndrome9, (48, 13)
# Q-fever with associated hepatitis (61)
# Heat-treated specimens (51, 57, 24, 49, 48)
# Lipemic serum (blood with high levels of fat or lipids)(49)
# Haemolyzed serum (blood where haemoglobin is separated from the red cells)(49)
# Hyperbilirubinemia (10, 13)
# Globulins produced during polyclonal gammopathies (which are seen in AIDS risk groups)(10, 13, 48)
# Healthy individuals as a result of poorly-understood cross-reactions (10)
# Normal human ribonucleoproteins (48,13)
# Other retroviruses (8, 55, 14, 48, 13)
# Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (48, 13)
# Anti-nuclear antibodies (48, 13, 53)
# Anti-microsomal antibodies (34)
# T-cell leukocyte antigen antibodies (48, 13)
# Proteins on the filter paper (13)
# Epstein-Barr virus (37)
# Visceral leishmaniasis (45)

Those are list of items that can cause false positive.

I hope this helps, let me know what u learn from this.

Ben

[GOLOKA]

Ask your ID to check for,

Coksaxi (sp?) virus, CMV, HHV 6, Mycoplsama, EBV, Gulf Syndrom (syndrome), TB .

Any other symptoms ?

[stillworried74]

Regarding HIV, looks you're negative!
Your doctor won't tell you your'e negative without been sure.
If he had any doubt he would have asked for a DNA PCR or viral load (PCR RNA).

Your symptoms look like depression, timing and description of your symptoms confirm that.

Get your life back.

[scott0100]

HLA antibodies (to Class I and II leukocyte antigens)(7, 46, 63, 48, 10, 13, 49, 43, 53)  whats this

[scott0100]

the dr's have to be honest with you can they get into trouble if they know you have something not saying.

[regularjoey]

You are absolutely do not have HIV, end of story.  You have an unrelated antibody cross-reacting with gp41, causing all the tests to go off.  It happens, nothing to worry about at all.

[tanker8]

Thanks guys for lots of good info. I  am starting to feel better. Ben, the list helps a lot. That’s lots of things to trigger false positive. I was a very healthy 27 year old male before taking the test.

"Q: Do you have any symptoms???? "
Yes. Started May 25 (day I gave blood first time). Had fever, cough, weakness, sore throat. My fiancé had same sickness. Hers went away in 2 weeks, but I still have a slightly sore throat for the last 4 months. Also, I feel sleepier throughout the day than before I tested, and I experience a bit of weakness.

"If he had any doubt he would have asked for a DNA PCR or viral load (PCR RNA). "
I did have PCR RNA and bDNA tests done during my second visit  - they both came back negative

I have another visit coming up Tuesday. I am going to ask for the following tests:
CMV
HHV 6
Mycoplsama
EBV
Lyme
Chest X-Ray
Thyroid testing
Creatine testing
Testosterone testing

Also IDC doctor diagnosed me with "Medical student syndrome"

Worried individual

[stillworried74]

I would say you can be inmunosuppressed because of depresion, stress.

Be careful with so much tests, they are a source of stress and most docs. will tell you not to do them.

Don't look in hiv or other illnes, look in your mind and take care of it.

For timmync: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1537-2995.1989.29289146828.x