hiv testing

[svenski]

Hello doctor, I have some questions for you as i am a bit troubled by the answers that i have got from the relative agencies.

Sorry about my bad english but it is not my native language.

I had several sexual encounters the last months as i was in some recreational trips.
The 2 first where with a prostitutes, and where all protected exept a moment where one of the prostitutes spitted on my penis and then she proceeded giving me oral with condom. then some days after that i gave oral sex to a girl not a prostitute (unprotected.)and then we had protected sex. and after some days i had 2 girls together. they where not prostitutes and we had only some kissing and foreplay mostly fooling around.

Now i wanted to take an hiv and std test. but i have some conflicting information by many agencies.
In the country where i live which is Greece the govermental health departments state that 2 months which i think its 8 weeks are sufficient and conclusive. also the site about hiv and the hiv hotlines in Greece state that 2 months is conclusive. and anyone tested negative after 2 months can stop testing.

But i went to a private facility and they told me that i have to wait 6 months. also in the public the test is for free but in the private clinic its like 90$ (gen 4 p24) they said

I also recall at polland which is the country where i am from when i went to have an hiv test the doctor said to me that 2 months are plenty.

I see in your site that some state that only at 3 months is conclusive, but you state that most of the time 8 weeks is conclusive.....

Upon which statements and guidelines should i act???
what is your advise???
in one week i will be 8 weeks
should i do it now or wait at 3 or 6 months....

You are doing a great job thanks for your time!!!!

[Dr Sean Cummings]

Hello Svenski

Thank you for visiting the Forum.

Relax. You will not be HIV positive from this exposure. The oral contact to your penis by the sex worker is of no consequence.

You performing oral sex on a female is of no consequence.

There are lots of conflicting statements about testing windows for HIV which you have noted.

I have been practising medicine since the mid 1980's when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was at its worst. I have seen very many tests appear and had unfortunately plenty of experience as to how well they perform.

The fact is that modern third generation HIV tests - which the one you were likely offered at the testing facility in Greece is greater than 99.9% accurate at 6 weeks.

A 4th generation HIV test - HIV DUO  or HIV combi will be greater than 99,89% at 28 days or afterwards.

In your case, whilst it might have been interesting at the time, in my mind the sexual event described was uninteresting and no risk. If you have a public health lab test at eight weeks then you can forget about HIV.

I hope that helps you?

best regards, Sean

[svenski]

So to recap. what you are saying is that it is that i did not have any hiv risk. but if i want to have a test i should go with the public free one at 8 weeks..... is that correct

[Dr Sean Cummings]

""So to recap. what you are saying is that it is that i did not have any hiv risk. but if i want to have a test i should go with the public free one at 8 weeks..... is that correct""

yes

best wishes, Sean

[grs779]

I had a test as well after 4 months after a a risk i thought i had. That time i did not know exactly how Hiv is transmitted.( I was not at a risk at all as i learnt earlier) and  i did an Elisa test here in Greece- Athens in a  private lab. I paid 50 Euros for just an a Hiv test -Elisa one. The microbiologist told me that i had to repeat it at 9 months!!!!! She told me that she worked in a hospital ( Aids unit) here in Athens  and that in 9 months its conclusive.
I called the AIDS phone  line in Greece and told me that the Elisa test  in Greek hospitals is 2 months conclusive!!!
Different views. However i make a great search and i found that 3 months is conclusive. All the antibodies tests are accurate and reliable in 3 months even in private lab. The problem with the Greek Hospitals is that you have to wait  ( propably one or two weeks) in order to get the results.

[svenski]

Hello doctor today it was 8 weeks and 1  day and i had my hiv test which reads:

antigen/antibody HIV (HIV Ag-Ab)............. negative (0.11)       S/CO           positive > 1


so i am negative but some doctors that saw my tests suggested to check again in 6 months but they are the same that said to me at the start that 2 months is sufficient.....

any comments i appreciate.....

[Dr Sean Cummings]

I would just point to my original reply=

""Relax. You will not be HIV positive from this exposure. The oral contact to your penis by the sex worker is of no consequence.

You performing oral sex on a female is of no consequence.

There are lots of conflicting statements about testing windows for HIV which you have noted.

I have been practising medicine since the mid 1980's when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was at its worst. I have seen very many tests appear and had unfortunately plenty of experience as to how well they perform.

The fact is that modern third generation HIV tests - which the one you were likely offered at the testing facility in Greece is greater than 99.9% accurate at 6 weeks.

A 4th generation HIV test - HIV DUO  or HIV combi will be greater than 99,89% at 28 days or afterwards.

In your case, whilst it might have been interesting at the time, in my mind the sexual event described was uninteresting and no risk. If you have a public health lab test at eight weeks then you can forget about HIV. ""

best wishes, Sean