Aa
HIV early detection
on the advice of pathologists and hiv helplines @ aids research institutes i took a early detection test after 105 hours of exposure
HIV DUO
p24 by ELFA
proviral pcrRT DNA
qualitative RNA by COBBAS TAQMANN
all were negative.
I again took a PCR proviral DNA (nested) after 178 hours which was negative.
I consulted two reputed AIDS specialists(Doctors and proffesor a WHO consultant too) who assured me that these tests are enough and that i was HIV negative.i contacted Re search institutes who confirmed the efficacy of these test 72 hours post exposure as confirmatory and i need not repeat any tests.
what is my HIV status and is PCR proviral confirmatory after 108/178 hours post exposure.I would appreciate an answer based on the test rather than on the probability of the infection in a low risk exposure.
HIV DUO
p24 by ELFA
proviral pcrRT DNA
qualitative RNA by COBBAS TAQMANN
all were negative.
I again took a PCR proviral DNA (nested) after 178 hours which was negative.
I consulted two reputed AIDS specialists(Doctors and proffesor a WHO consultant too) who assured me that these tests are enough and that i was HIV negative.i contacted Re search institutes who confirmed the efficacy of these test 72 hours post exposure as confirmatory and i need not repeat any tests.
what is my HIV status and is PCR proviral confirmatory after 108/178 hours post exposure.I would appreciate an answer based on the test rather than on the probability of the infection in a low risk exposure.
Since there doesn't seem to be any new information forthcoming (as opposed to a rehash of what's already been stated), this topic is now closed.
*** NO MORE POSTS, PLEASE ***
*** NO MORE POSTS, PLEASE ***
the relevance is for early detection test not mine. this forum is for sharing info and knowledge not to degrade one test or other the main focus should be on preventing transmission and hence the need to know about the hiv status,which is most infectious
during the Acute phase.
asfas false positives are concerned the LABS take adequate volume of blood to repeat tests for both positive and negative reports it is not so expensive in india.
I paid US $60 for 4 tests 1)HIV DUO 2)p24 by ELFA(seperate) 3)proviral dna by realtime PCR
4)hiv RNA(qualitative not viral load)by COBAS TAQMAN with a lower detection limit of 20 copies/ml
these tests when done together by day 7 are about 99% accurate as accurate as antibody tests at 3 months.this again is the opinion of WHO and HIV experts whom i met.when i tell them about info on the net they say the technology has advanced since the info you see on the net.well i have not seen a single false negative by PCR DNA till now on any site.
the antibody formation is the host response which might differ but the viral replication is not and is a function of the virus which can be detected within days.20 copies of RNA should definitely be present in acute untreated patients my take is in 99.99% of untreated individuals.
theoretically NAT tests can detect 1 copy of the virus in the sample........
during the Acute phase.
asfas false positives are concerned the LABS take adequate volume of blood to repeat tests for both positive and negative reports it is not so expensive in india.
I paid US $60 for 4 tests 1)HIV DUO 2)p24 by ELFA(seperate) 3)proviral dna by realtime PCR
4)hiv RNA(qualitative not viral load)by COBAS TAQMAN with a lower detection limit of 20 copies/ml
these tests when done together by day 7 are about 99% accurate as accurate as antibody tests at 3 months.this again is the opinion of WHO and HIV experts whom i met.when i tell them about info on the net they say the technology has advanced since the info you see on the net.well i have not seen a single false negative by PCR DNA till now on any site.
the antibody formation is the host response which might differ but the viral replication is not and is a function of the virus which can be detected within days.20 copies of RNA should definitely be present in acute untreated patients my take is in 99.99% of untreated individuals.
theoretically NAT tests can detect 1 copy of the virus in the sample........
Hi,
The validity of PCR tests for HIV diagnosis is completely irrelevant to your situation. The people who told you to take all of those tests gave you bad advice. You did absolutely NOTHING to jeopardize your negative serostatus, and therefore all the tests that you took were completely UNNECESSARY from a medical standpoint. The only 'risk' that you have exposed yourself to is the risk of a FALSE positive- particularly on the PCR tests that you took- it is fortunate that this did not occur as this would probably have sent your anxiety out of control. It was simply a waste of time, emotional energy, and medical resources to have all of those tests over a situation that did not put you at risk for HIV. My advice is that you STOP taking medical tests that you don't need, accept your negative serostatus, and just forget about your encounter and move on with your life.
Hope this helps,
J.
The validity of PCR tests for HIV diagnosis is completely irrelevant to your situation. The people who told you to take all of those tests gave you bad advice. You did absolutely NOTHING to jeopardize your negative serostatus, and therefore all the tests that you took were completely UNNECESSARY from a medical standpoint. The only 'risk' that you have exposed yourself to is the risk of a FALSE positive- particularly on the PCR tests that you took- it is fortunate that this did not occur as this would probably have sent your anxiety out of control. It was simply a waste of time, emotional energy, and medical resources to have all of those tests over a situation that did not put you at risk for HIV. My advice is that you STOP taking medical tests that you don't need, accept your negative serostatus, and just forget about your encounter and move on with your life.
Hope this helps,
J.
you are always bent on approval teak,show me data which proves false negatives in pcr proviral DNA test.tell me why pooled PCR nat tests are used in blood screening if they are not reliable. tell me why europe has approved combo test as conclusive after 28 days?
the viral rna load varies after about a month not the proviral DNA still nobody has said they are below "detectable" levels. I have spoken to very eminent pathologists and HIV specialist on WHO panels and AIDS research institute. they say these are caveats to avoid litigations and also escape from providing for these costly test in GOVT healthcare settings.if you validate them you are forced to provide them in the cause of public safety.
well this is my understanding.
I even found that microbiologists and virologists say about the kinetics of HIV replication in untreated people in acute cases they said PCR was a "gold Standard" as far as microbiology was concerened and opined that pcr at 72 hours is as reliable as antibody test at 3 months.
the point is by asking people to wait 3 months we are actually helping in spreading the virus during the most infectious period(acute infection).
I suggest PCR proviral DNA test after 7 days of exposure.I have not come across any false negatives in PCR proviral DNA test,the point is to ascertain that one is not infected,
the negative and positive results are always crosschecked again before releasind and hence can be relied upon. the CAP accredited labs will not lie since they have the "approval" :-
the viral rna load varies after about a month not the proviral DNA still nobody has said they are below "detectable" levels. I have spoken to very eminent pathologists and HIV specialist on WHO panels and AIDS research institute. they say these are caveats to avoid litigations and also escape from providing for these costly test in GOVT healthcare settings.if you validate them you are forced to provide them in the cause of public safety.
well this is my understanding.
I even found that microbiologists and virologists say about the kinetics of HIV replication in untreated people in acute cases they said PCR was a "gold Standard" as far as microbiology was concerened and opined that pcr at 72 hours is as reliable as antibody test at 3 months.
the point is by asking people to wait 3 months we are actually helping in spreading the virus during the most infectious period(acute infection).
I suggest PCR proviral DNA test after 7 days of exposure.I have not come across any false negatives in PCR proviral DNA test,the point is to ascertain that one is not infected,
the negative and positive results are always crosschecked again before releasind and hence can be relied upon. the CAP accredited labs will not lie since they have the "approval" :-
it was a protected vaginal intercourse with a FSW in pattaya but i washed my penis my hands which fingered her vagina and there was a cut on the finger too.
tthe three month window is a overtly conservative time period based on an isolated case of someone who had not seroconverted by then and maybe the tools were not advanced enough at that point of time and location.
with the technological advances PCR and 4th Gen tests are very sensitive tests.
I have spent nearly a month reading the net which actually resulted in misinfo rather than info.
I then went and spoke to HIV specialists who are on WHO board for HIV who have written books on HIV with expierience of decades in HIV.i spoke to pathologists at accredited labs and everywhere they said that 72 hours post infection PCR DNA and RNA will be positive 100% one doctor(not a pathologist) said 7 days it is 200%(his words).still groggy i again took on the 30th day
4th gen combo(antibody and p240
p24 by ELFA
pcr proviral DNA by realtime
PCR RNA by cobas taqman
then i found that except the antibody every test done was for HIV1
all were negative
on the 40th day i took a HIV2 PCR proviral DNA test.
it was negative.
the PCR test has recently been approved for early detection anyways approval is not the parameter by which you gauge a test's reliability.
the approval criteria has to address not only scientific proof but political and socio economical issues before approving tests.apparently the PCR test is a very sensitive test and in combination with the combo test at day28 can be,on the basis of varied opinions by experts, considered conclusive.
tthe three month window is a overtly conservative time period based on an isolated case of someone who had not seroconverted by then and maybe the tools were not advanced enough at that point of time and location.
with the technological advances PCR and 4th Gen tests are very sensitive tests.
I have spent nearly a month reading the net which actually resulted in misinfo rather than info.
I then went and spoke to HIV specialists who are on WHO board for HIV who have written books on HIV with expierience of decades in HIV.i spoke to pathologists at accredited labs and everywhere they said that 72 hours post infection PCR DNA and RNA will be positive 100% one doctor(not a pathologist) said 7 days it is 200%(his words).still groggy i again took on the 30th day
4th gen combo(antibody and p240
p24 by ELFA
pcr proviral DNA by realtime
PCR RNA by cobas taqman
then i found that except the antibody every test done was for HIV1
all were negative
on the 40th day i took a HIV2 PCR proviral DNA test.
it was negative.
the PCR test has recently been approved for early detection anyways approval is not the parameter by which you gauge a test's reliability.
the approval criteria has to address not only scientific proof but political and socio economical issues before approving tests.apparently the PCR test is a very sensitive test and in combination with the combo test at day28 can be,on the basis of varied opinions by experts, considered conclusive.
Why are you asking an opinion forum not made up of medical experts if you consulted with mutiple AIDS specialist? PCR is not used to diagnose HIV to my knowledge and the duo test is supposedly accurate after 4 weeks, but the only conclusive result I am aware of is a 3 month post exposure standard antibody test.
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