Did Acyclovir have caused my HIV tests turn false negative?

[Neverlost]

I am male, 48 and living in south Asia. In 2007 I had a couple of unsafe sexual exposures. Between 2008 and 2009 I lived with my wife, before being separated in 2010. Then in mid-April this year I got two unsafe sexual contacts again. After that for the first time in my life I had the following HIV tests.
Day 75 [from the day of last exposure]June 29, 2011: Elisa Antibody test.
Day 93: HIV DNA PCR test.
Day 106: [Lab 1]: HIV 1 & 2 Ag/Ab test [CMIA/Architect Abbott].
Day 106: [Lab 2]: HIV 1 & 2 Antibodies
All above tests came negative.
But between Day 70 and Day 73 for 4 days I had taken Acyclovir tablets orally [800 mg x 4 times x 4 days] as advised by a doctor who suspected I had got herpes zoster after some lesion appeared on my belly. I took Acyclovir tablet again for 3 days [800 mg x 4 times x 3 days] between Day 77 and Day 79.
My questions:
1. I found some 2010 US research reports that suggest that Acyclovir taken orally brings down the HIV viral load. Here's one related report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8512412.stm. Could Acyclovir have affected my Day 75 test and produced a false negative result in that first Elisa antibody test? [IF I GOT INFECTED in 2007] Could the impact of the Acyclovir on the virus have [in a domino effect] have brought the antibody to undetectable level? Does a fall on viral load simultaneously make antibody level sink to undetectable level? I want to find out if I have ended up infecting my wife.
2. Do you think  Day 93 DNA PCR test, 2 weeks after the Acyclovir course ended, turned a false negative case because of Acyclovir.
3. On Day 106 I took two antibody tests. How much was the possibility that Acyclovir might have turned my Day 106 results into false negatives?
4. If an HIV positive person is taking anti-HIV medication and his viral load is dropping...will his antibody level also drop to undetectable level simultaneously?
5. Is the window period going to longer in my case because of Acyclovir effect ?  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. I have reviewed your more than 18 posts over the past 8 days and want to validate what you've heard from our Friends on the HIV Prevention Community site- your tests show conclusively that you do not have HIV and further testing is a waste of time and resources.  You did not get HIV from your exposure in April.  

While persons who are infected with HIV and herpes can have decreased HIV viral loads from taking acyclovir, this is not because of a direct effect on the HIV virus but as an effect on the herpes virus which can stimulate HIV virus replication. Even in such cases, these persons continue to have detectable HIV in their blood. In addition, other studies have conclusively shown that taking acyclovir has NO effect in delaying development of positive test results in person with HIV.  The manifestations of infection are no different, the time course of developing positive tests are no different and the window period is no different.  

Bottom line, as you have already heard, your test results are reliable. You did not get HIV from the exposures you mentioned.  Put your concerns aside and move forward.  EWH

[Neverlost]

Could Acyclovir have caused my HIV tests turn false negative?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

this is exactly what I told you. EWH

[Neverlost]

Jared M Baeten, Associate Professor, International Clinical Research Center [University of Washington just said to me:

"Acyclovir does not block HIV infection, delay the development of HIV antibodies, or reverse such development. Acyclovir does not cause false negative HIV results. Acyclovir would also not make the DNA PCR falsely negative."

Dr Baeten was in the group that studied the effect of Acyclovir on HIV-infected bodies in Africa in 2009/2010. Their report was published in Lancet last year.

Many around are constantly asking this question to many fora if Acyclovir would delay seroconversion in the case of new HIV infection and extend the window period. Let them know that Acyclovir has no effect on HIV window period and Acyclovir will not cause any drop in HIV antibody level in case of older undiagnosed HIV infection.

Thank you very much.