Rapid Oraquick

[Allez82]

Dr. HHH/Hook

I went in for a routine physical exam today, and the Dr. recommended that I have an HIV screening due to the fact that I had not had one for a while (~5 years). I have been tested for HIV before and never had any anxiety, but for some reason my impending  test drove my anxiety through the roof.  Immediately after leaving my physical, I drove to a pharmacy and picked up the Home Oraquick test and my results came back negative with a definitive control line.

I am a heterosexual male and have been in a monogamous relationship for over 3 years to someone who has been tested and came back negative. I feel my rational side knows I do not have HIV, but for some reason I am still a bit nervous even though I just got a negative test.

My questions are:

1) Would I even need to have an HIV blood test tomorrow given my negative result?

2) I followed the directions by the letter and had a very strong "control" line, would a false negative even be in the realm of possibility?

[Allez82]

Very helpful. Thank you sir.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your question.

Congratulations on the negative result.  In view of your sexual lifestyle, of course it was expected.  In the US, HIV remains very, very rare in most heterosexual populations, and certainly in vewi of your sexual lifestyle. Your "rational side" is exactly right.  Unless you were potentially exposed in the few weeks before your home Oraquick test, the result is completely reliable.  

1) I see no need for you to have another test.  I recommend you just report your home self test result to your doctor's office so he has a record of it.

2) The US Food and Drug Administration required the test to be totally idiot proof; if it were not, the Orasure company would not have obtained regulatory approval to sell it.  Having followed the instructions carefully, there is no realistic chance of a false negative result.

I hope this has been helpful.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD