TESTS

[DT100]

Hi,

91 days ago I had unprotected vaginal sex with a stranger in an industrial city in the UK. She was Caucasion and in her 40s. Penetrative sex was brief but unfortunately she bled quite profusely all over my penis, I didn't wash my penis until the following morning. Usually very fastidious about barrier contraceptives but made a terrible drunken mistake which cannot be undone.

The Good news (thus far). I had a full STI screening at 6 weeks (42 days) post exposure with a HIV DUO test at my local GUM clinic. All results were negative.

At 45 days I became ill and had a fever for a couple of nights accompanied by myalgia, arthalgia and anorexia. The fever cleared after this but I have been suffering from mylagia and arthralgia for the past five weeks. This clearly concerned me so I visited my GP at 9 weeks post exposure who said my lymph nodes were ok. Had a CBC with everything normal; surely there would have been some indication of inflammation if I was seroconverting.

I'm scheduled for my confirmatory HIV test in a couple of days. I'm very concerned I'm not going to get the result I'm hoping for. All these ARS-like symptoms have really freaked me out especially being as I went back to the GP after finding shotty lymph nodes in my inguinal/femoral areas. My health advisor at the clinic said she's never seen a 6 week test turn positive.The experts on these forums give the impression that it's a virtual impossibility for a DUO to give a false negative at this point in time. I get the distinct impression that it is unprecedented however I don't know what else could explain my recent symptoms. If I do test positive am I a medical oddity? I'm vaccinated against HBV, could this be HCV - fits the bill timing wise, although I know there is a debate about its sexual transmission but my penis was literally bathed in blood.

Many Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your DUO test is not a "good sign", it is conclusive.  The CBC has nothing to do with whether or not you have HIV.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help.  Take care.  EWH

[DT100]

94 Day Duo test - NEGATIVE!!
Get in there Hooky my son, you were right!
Should have trusted your judgement despite the plethora of ARS-related symptoms!
Many Thanks from across the pond.
DT

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help. EWH

[DT100]

Ok, Thank you Doctor. I appreciate your advice.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Final answer.  There is no such thing as a "longer incubation period".  Your symptoms are due to some other, coincidental illness, not HIV.  Nothing more to say.  You just need to decide if you choose to believe me or not.  you can test and test but the results are not going to change for the exposure you have mentioned.  EWH

[DT100]

Yeah I'm just concerned because the test was prior to my symptoms that the P24 antigen would be at undetectable levels due to a longer incubation period.

[DT100]

I'm aware the odds are with me but I still feel as if all these symptoms are rather ominous. DUO test is obviously a good sign. Would my CBC have had some indication of viral infection if it was present? I know it's not a diagnostic tool but ultimately it's just another viral infection (with more serious implications) , surely the presence of infection would be apparent?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. I'll be pleased to comment.  Thanks for reviewing other post on our site.  Since you have, you will not be surprised to hear that I am confident that your follow-up HIV tests will be negative, proving that you did not get HIV from the exposure that you have described and that your flu-like illness was not due to HIV,   While your flu-like illness several weeks ago was consistent with the ARS, there are many other illnesses which cause such symptoms and in fact, only about 1% of persons who seek medical evaluation for flu-like illnesses resembling the ARS turn out to have HIV.  

Thus I will confirm what your health advisor has already told you- I am completely confident that you did not acquire HIV from the exposure that you describe.  Please do not worry.  EWH