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COVID-19 vaccines and HIV risk

Hello,

I had unprotected sex with a person of unkown serostatus. I then tested with a 4th gen test (at 7,13,17 weeks). All negative. I also took a hep C test at 17 weeks (worrying about delayed seroconversion). Negative too.

Now I've read a "cautionary tale" for COVID vaccines using Ad5 published in The Lancet about an increased risk of HIV suceptibility with a trial vaccine for HIV. It used Ad5 adenovirus as a vector and researchers pointed at Ad5 as a possible cause.

I started to worry again that I could get HIV if I got one of the adenovirus vaccines or if I had contact (kissing) with someone who got that vaccine. There's a lot of conflicting info (it is not true, its specific to Ad5 vaccines, theres cross-reactivity in the body's immune response between different kind of adenoviruses (so all adenovirus vaccines would have this risk). Im going crazy. My specific questions are:

1. Does this risk from Ad5 vaccines apply to HIV exposures after you get the shot or can it be "retroactive", meaning that even if my HIV test are considered conclusive, can there be a way that HIV is "hidden" or some amount of it left in my body, and an adenovirus vaccine-induced enhancement of target cells for HIV can cause an infection (kind of delayed seroconversion)? The studies on the HIV vaccine considered 6 months old exposures as high-risk (prior to the administration of the vaccine), if I remember correctly, but I dont know if that was used for behavioural purposes. It isnt clear in the cited studies.

2. If adenoviruses could enhance HIV risk, could I be at risk by kissing someone who already was vaccinated with a COVID Ad5 vaccine? Also, wouldnt adenovirus that cause common colds be considered as risk enhancers for HIV?

3. Can I get an adenovirus COVID vaccine without having to worry for another 3 months about HIV?

I've been worrying all the time. I just want to be over with this and I know you are among the best doctors to ask these kind of questions to.

J.
2 Responses
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20620809 tn?1504362969
Your negative tests are all conclusive, from the very first one you took.  While you had a risk of unprotected sex, you didn't get HIV from it. It's actually a really low risk (less than one percent) of getting hiv from a single exposure like that. So, your tests proved you did not get HIV. The Covid vaccine does NOT interfere with test results or anything to do with HIV.  There are no worries with that. You should accept your result and discontinue your worry regarding hiv. If you can't? Time to seek help with your mental health/anxiety.
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Avatar universal
A 4 gen is conclusive after 4 weeks so you have overtested. Further testing would indicate hiv fixation. It is a waste of time googling about a disease you are negative for. Only risks for hiv are unprotected vaginal or anal or sharing a hollow needle that you use to inject with - none of those occur when you kiss.
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3 Comments
Thanks for the quick answer. I dont want to worry anymore, but questions 2 and 3 are what is worrying me now.
1, 2 and 3
The only risks have been listed. hiv prevention is straightforward and does not involve searching the internet to interpret medical articles when you don't have any medical training.
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