Dear Doc,
I had several vaginal sexes with CSW (I used their offered condums each time) on my trip in China, one was late last December and the other two were on 01/06/2008 (I am not sure if the condom was BROKEN this time) and on 01/17/2008. On the 18th of January, I developed a cough (no any other symptoms) and recovered in approximately 2 weeks.
Starting from 02/23/2008 (the 37th day after last exposure), I started coughing with productive thick dark yellow mucus, runny nose, sore throat. However there was no fever until 03/02 (the 44th day after last exposure).
Here are the descriptions of my symptions:
Day 1 ~ day 8: productive coughing, thick dark yellow mucus, runny nose, sore throat (No fever)
Day 9: fever with 102.8F maximum.
Day 10 ~ day 11: By using some antibiotics (roxithromycin) and tyleno, the temperature back to normal. However the coughing and mucus are still there. Muscle and joint pain.
Day 12: today, normal temperature, still feel light muscle and joint pain. Still produce some mucus.
No rash, dirrah etc.
This symptom also passed to my wife and other people. Counting my wife’s exposure time, she has the symptom (identical to mine) was on her 51st day after her exposure with me.
I had two HIV tests so far. HIV quick test (my 25th day of my last exposure) was negative. HIV ½ stat/pak test at 30th day of my last exposure was negative.
My questions:
1) Is the ARS symptom contagious? In another word, is it possible for one with ARS symptom flu to pass to others (flu only)? I think that I passed my flu symptom to the other four.
2) Considering my symptom with high temperature after 8 days coughing, thick yellow snot and runny nose, do you think if they are ARS symptoms?
3) How long does the symptom occur after exposure? I am confused by the number of 1~4 weeks and 2~6 weeks.
4) What is stat/pak HIV test? How does it compare to ELISA?