Another question

[Redsux]

Good day Dr. I posted this question on the international forum and received a favorable answer from Dr Cummings i was hoping i could also get feedback from you in regards to my situation, I have been living in fear for a year now. Last year I made a terrible mistake and had an unprotected one night stand with a women of unk status who assured me that she was disease free unfortunately i was intoxicated. No excuse and i am suffering mentally due to this, at exactly 50 days or 7 weeks after the encounter i had a full blood test including STD and HIV Elisa 1/2 all were negative and I was happy until I started reading about " The window period. "At 6 months and 9 months i took an at home Orarapid and Orawell 10 minute home test. Little did i know that these test were not approved by the FDA. Although they were both negative i am still concerned for what is going on now. I have gotten eye styes for the last 3-4 months, off and on which I have never had and I have a small rash on my right inner elbow at the bend. I hope Dr that you can help aleviate my fear so that I may attempt to move on from this. I am truly greatful for any answer you can give me in regard to your thoughts on my status i meant to mention earlier that i live in a lare city on the East coast and i am not sure what generation is used. Also are Eye styes typical symptoms of infection? And what would be your take on the 7 week negative that i obtained i'm sorry if I am being redundant Dr and i take full responsiblty for my actions if I hope tht you can also shed some light for me so I may feel a bit better if thats possible , thank you for your time sir

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help. Take care. EWH

[Redsux]

Again Dr Hook thank you kindly for your time and patience

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The styes are not described as part of HIV disease or any STD.  More recently there has been an increasing number of staph infections seen in persons, irrespective of HIV status, worldwide which are caused by a type of staph referred to as MRSA.  This may be part of the problem- they are harder to cure that every day styes.  Since this is nto STD or HIV related, I would discuss this with your doctor. EWH

[Redsux]

Thanks again Dr. Im sorry was curious whats your take on the contant eye styes? Never had them in my life til about 3 months ago

[Redsux]

Thank you for your time and patience Dr. I know you answer many questiins for many people, but you are providing a wonderful service for myself and all of those others who are out there with questiions. I hope that all will be well wit my situation and I will take another test to be sure that I can close the door on this mistake and move on with my life... Thank you kindly

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. I'll try to clarify things.  Your risk of having gotten HIV from a single exposure is miniscule.  Most heterosexual men do not have HIV and the risk of infection from a single exposure, if your partner was infected, is only 1 infection per 1000 exposures. Thus, even before testing, your statistical risk from a single exposure is about 1 in a million.  Add to that the results of a a seven week HIV test would detect well over 95% of HIV infections but not quite all and  you can be quite confident that you did not get HIV.

If being absolutely, completely sure is important, a single additional HIV test at this time will provide that assurance.

The reports of prolonged "windows" and "late seroconversion" are not something to worry about..  The recommendations for testing at 3 and even 6 months are the result of two factors- data from older tests no longer used (you really do not need to worry about which generation of tests you were tested with, at this time virtually all tests are far more sensitive that they were even 2-3 years ago when the 3 month recommendation was made) and secondly, the fact that some, mostly governmental agencies which have to provide recommendations for virtually everyone without the sort of interactions such as those you get with your doctor or on personalized sites such as this one, feel the cannot "afford" to be wrong and therefore make recommendations and guidelines which leave most people unnecessarily nervous for 4-6 weeks longer than the 6-8 weeks it takes virtually everyone to develop HIV antibodies.  

I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH