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Possible ARS..please help?
Hi everyone,
I'm wondering if you could help me out. I was sexually assualted in June of 2006 and the HIV status of the assailant is not known. It's been almost 9 months and i've been feeling ok until recently. Last week, it started with a rash on my feet that spread all over my legs and arms and a little on my back...the rash has since started going away. I also had a fever for a few days that ranged from 99.8 degrees to 101 degrees. And the usuual no appetite, joint stiffness, etc. I went to the ER and the doc there said it was just a viral infection. I told him about assualt, and he told me people seroconvert and ARS occurs no more than 3-4 months after exposure, since it's been almost 9 months, he said there's nothing to worry about. I did have a rapid HIV test at ER the night of the assault, but was told those results are not necessarily conclusive. I plan on getting tested again..but i'm worried...ever since the assault, i freak out at every little cold i get. I know i may be overreacting. So i guess my question is, has anyone ever heard of someone developing ARS 9 months after possible exposure? thanks.
I'm wondering if you could help me out. I was sexually assualted in June of 2006 and the HIV status of the assailant is not known. It's been almost 9 months and i've been feeling ok until recently. Last week, it started with a rash on my feet that spread all over my legs and arms and a little on my back...the rash has since started going away. I also had a fever for a few days that ranged from 99.8 degrees to 101 degrees. And the usuual no appetite, joint stiffness, etc. I went to the ER and the doc there said it was just a viral infection. I told him about assualt, and he told me people seroconvert and ARS occurs no more than 3-4 months after exposure, since it's been almost 9 months, he said there's nothing to worry about. I did have a rapid HIV test at ER the night of the assault, but was told those results are not necessarily conclusive. I plan on getting tested again..but i'm worried...ever since the assault, i freak out at every little cold i get. I know i may be overreacting. So i guess my question is, has anyone ever heard of someone developing ARS 9 months after possible exposure? thanks.
Mere EXPOSURE to both viruses is not sufficient. Actual INFECTION of both HIV and HCV needs to occur to cause delayed HIV seroconversion (and HCV seroconversion, for that matter). Not all patients co-infected simultaneously with HCV and HIV experience delayed seroconversion. The mechanism of the delay and the patient criteria that promote the potential for the delay are not yet known.
So if both HIV+ blood and HEPC+ blood come in contact with an individual - conversion may take up to six months or is this a case only for a FEW individuals with certain exceptions?
Thanks.
Thanks.
No,either it happens 2-4 weeks after infection or not at all. Just because it doesn't happen, doesn't mean you will not get a positive result. Symptoms or lack of does not mean anything when diagnosing HIV. Only a test will tell.
And since you've tested FIFTEEN MONTHS past exposure, you don't have HIV. Period.
can i ask, the information you have, from internet or u acctually studied by heart? i think you said you are Poz
great to meet you here again.
i guess you are Rapidrod. please forgive me that i did not wanna pming any people in your forum.
It is great to tell people how to avoid being infected , just like you did here, i think your information is correct.
i did not lie to anyone, all my stories are truely happend.
there are certian group people who are really scared for dealing with everything, for example me, i paid quite more attention on my health, so, i never do may anal , few times oral with condoms, i hope you think my behaviour were normal for HIV issues.
please be here when u r free, we need people to explain the details and comfort us.
Thanks for your work.
i guess you are Rapidrod. please forgive me that i did not wanna pming any people in your forum.
It is great to tell people how to avoid being infected , just like you did here, i think your information is correct.
i did not lie to anyone, all my stories are truely happend.
there are certian group people who are really scared for dealing with everything, for example me, i paid quite more attention on my health, so, i never do may anal , few times oral with condoms, i hope you think my behaviour were normal for HIV issues.
please be here when u r free, we need people to explain the details and comfort us.
Thanks for your work.
Sorry for butting in, but have you ever heard of ARS not happening until 4 months past possible exposure? I have tested well beyond the window period, but I'm wondering if delayed ARS would also mean late seroconversion. I have tested negative 15 months past possible exposure.(unprotected insertive vaginal) Thanks
You do not need to be worrying about ARS. If someone does show symptoms, it comes quicker than 9 months. What you need to do is go test since you're at the 9 month mark. The result will be conclusive.
Hi andresgirl, I'm sorry to hear of your assault. If it makes you feel better, have a look at the previous thread to yours. The research papers report a maximum period of 70 days for ARS to develop, with the large majority occurring between 11 and 28 days after exposure. You are well beyond that.
However, please don't try and use symptoms to try and predict HIV infection. If it concerns you, at 9 months, you should be able to walk into a clinic and get a conclusive test result within 20 mins.
Best wishes.
However, please don't try and use symptoms to try and predict HIV infection. If it concerns you, at 9 months, you should be able to walk into a clinic and get a conclusive test result within 20 mins.
Best wishes.
Seroconversion past 6 months has been documented ONLY in a few specific cases where a healthcare worker (HCW) was simultaneously exposed to HIV and HCV (hepatitis C) by percutaneous needlestick. Scientists theorize that interaction between the viruses can lead to the delayed seroconversion, but they are still unsure of the exact mechanism. In most (if not all - I don't recall off-hand) of the HCV/HIV delayed seroconversion cases, the HCWs experienced rapid progression to liver failure.
Since your potential exposure was sexual, HCV is really not a concern (a recently published 10-year study of HCV transmission between monogamous partners showed zero sexual transmissions).
However, I'm unaware of any cases of ARS symptoms past 6 months. In any case, symptoms are a very poor way to diagnose HIV infection.
You should definitely be tested again, though, since it seems from your post that you were tested ONLY the night of your assault 9 months ago, but not since. The test taken the night of your assault would have been useful ONLY to diagnose any pre-existing HIV infection you had. I'm very surprised that your doctor did not recommend follow-up testing for HIV/STDs following the assault.
A simple rapid antibody test (available at most sexual health clinics and a few doctors' offices) will give you a conclusive result in 20 minutes. A non-rapid ELISA/EIA antibody test can take 1-5 business days for a result but should be available through your doctor.
Once the test comes back negative, you won't have to worry about every little cold or sneeze.
Your risk of being HIV infected from receptive vaginal sex (assuming that was your exposure risk) is roughly 1/2000, ASSUMING YOUR ASSAILANT WAS INDEED HIV+.
Best wishes!
Since your potential exposure was sexual, HCV is really not a concern (a recently published 10-year study of HCV transmission between monogamous partners showed zero sexual transmissions).
However, I'm unaware of any cases of ARS symptoms past 6 months. In any case, symptoms are a very poor way to diagnose HIV infection.
You should definitely be tested again, though, since it seems from your post that you were tested ONLY the night of your assault 9 months ago, but not since. The test taken the night of your assault would have been useful ONLY to diagnose any pre-existing HIV infection you had. I'm very surprised that your doctor did not recommend follow-up testing for HIV/STDs following the assault.
A simple rapid antibody test (available at most sexual health clinics and a few doctors' offices) will give you a conclusive result in 20 minutes. A non-rapid ELISA/EIA antibody test can take 1-5 business days for a result but should be available through your doctor.
Once the test comes back negative, you won't have to worry about every little cold or sneeze.
Your risk of being HIV infected from receptive vaginal sex (assuming that was your exposure risk) is roughly 1/2000, ASSUMING YOUR ASSAILANT WAS INDEED HIV+.
Best wishes!
It is my understanding that rapid tests are conclusive if negative. Sometimes there are false positives, but never false negatives. You do not have hiv but you may have trouble getting over the assault. I urge you to seek therapy. What happened to you is awful & I would hate for it to take away from any more of your life then it already has. Good luck.
That is not correct. If a Rapid test is done to early you can get a false negative. Now show me a Rapid test that says that test can be done less than 3 months and you'll get a correct result and it is conclusive.
If someone has not developed antibodies for hiv yet, then their test would be negative. Anyway, this girl doesn't have hiv. It's been well over 3 months...it's been 9! Her test is absolutely conclusive.
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