final question about HIV ARS timing

[bamboosalt]

Hello, guys.

this is my final question regarding the timing of HIV and ARS.

i will go to test tomorrow , and it is on 5 weeks mark, i would say the test is reliable somehow.

some HIV helplines said ARS starts between 7 days and 12 days mostly after risky behaviour. no later than 2 weeks. widnow period would be between 2 weeks and 6 weeks, after 6 weeks, most of positive people ' s antibody can be found by the Elisa test.
my previous test was on 2 weeks mark with Negative result, which considered to be not so useful by HIV experts.
please post your comment, Many thanks for your time .

[Brian123]

I know that I have read numerous times by MD HHH that ARS symptoms (NOT an indicative means of deciphering whether one is HIV+) onset occurs anywhere from 10 -22 days.  I would think it would be "rare" and I use the term loosely, that someone who did NOT have a HIGH FEVER (90% + more individuals who are infected..studies have shown, and I have read) within the first 3-4 weeks, is a "good" sign.  No less, testing is the ONLY way of finding out for certain.

Since 95-97% of person sero-convert within the 6 weeks, I would find it hard for the body not to show signs of reacting to such a vicious virus.  I mean, when I get exposed to someone with the flu, it doesn't take weeks to show symptoms,....right?  Now HIV, a much more vicious virus than the flu virus, ..... I ASSUME, would cause a case of fever, chills, and other symptoms much worse than that of the flu.   BUt then again, some people's bodies may react differently. But with 90%+ who are infected claim of remembering having a TERRIBLE FEVER, take it as a God send that you do not have the "fever" symptom.

Conclusion: Testing is still the only means of knowing for certain. I already know you know that since you are getting tested @ 5 weeks.  I take it that you did not want to wait one more week?  : )    

[cholny29]

Brian do you think one would notice if they had an ars related fever if they never took their temperature? If one wasnt even thinking about HIV or being sick period would someone notice a fever of that magnitude and finally would you think a fever of 100.9 would be high, as in related to ARS, if it occured on day 34? thanks brian!

[strata]

One of the most definitive studies of IncARS (incubation of ARS, time to the onset of ARS-related symptoms) is:

The Incubation Period of Acute Retroviral Syndrome as a Multistep Process: A Parametric Survival Analysis.

It analyzed a cohort of 34 HCWs and 70 non-HCWs for whom the date of infection was known. The median IncARS for both groups was exactly the same, 21.5 days.

[Brian123]

LOL...
I read that very same study.
It charted about 70 persons...and yes...the median was 21.5 days (give or take a day)

[Brian123]

Cholny,...ever seen the movie RENT?
(a theatrical drama turned into a movie. [popular last year's movie box office ])

In the movie they clearly depict a scene where one of the characters is undergoing ARS (severe chills, fever, etc.)  A severe fever due to ARS would be quite notable, not something that makes you think.."gee, my head feels warm"....but more like "DAMN, I am burning up!!  Throw ice on me"

Get it?

[bamboosalt]

21.5 days?

that means the window period for HIV positive people, not ARS.

ARS is early than antibody happens.

[bamboosalt]

should i get a test today or not?

5 weeks mark, early ?

wait for one more week?

[strata]

IncARS is the time to onset of SYMPTOMS. Most people will have detectable antibodies within nearly the same time period, although no studies I've seen actually focus on the time to detectable antibodies.

So average time from infection to symptoms is 21.5 days. I'd expect antibodies to be detectable in the 22 - 30 day range.

Your 5-week test will be fairly reliable. Whether you NEED to test at 13 weeks depends largely on your other risk factors - was your sex with a man or woman; anal, oral, or vaginal; was partner KNOWN HIV+ or from high-risk group?

[bamboosalt]

thanks for your message.

yes, i had sex contact with a gay man , well, i am gay as well. his status is unknown,that made me feel much more uncomfortable with HIV issues.

risk was not so high i may say, no anal , no oral, only handjobs for each other and kiss invloved.

i have contacted his semen, exactly on my dickhead.

[strata]

Based on the extremely low risk (many would say no risk) of your exposure, you can rely on your 5-week test result.