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confusion about the virus and window period
hello DR:
I have some questions about HIV.Need your professional help.
The STD Dr in the local hospital told me some information about the virus and the window period,and he said:" once HIV gains access to new host it goes to work infecting target cells and replicating itself. The window period refers to the period between infection and formation of detectable levels of anti-HIV antibodies in the bloodstream".
And also i learned that now the most conservative window period is 6 months(3 month is the standard),so i chosed to test after 6 months,the exact time is 7.5month mark post my unprotected vaginal exposure with a unknow woman in the club.I've totally tested 5 times with ELISA and rapid tests,there
were7week,10week,13week,5month,7.5month,all tests came back negative.My theory was to test after the most conservative window period,thus i can make sure i am really fine.Is my theory right?
But through my learning i once read a different saying about the virus.It worries me.The man said this on a forum, he said he is a doctor,and he said if a person has a very excellent immune system,then after infected the virus,his cellular immune system may well controll the virus alone and make the virus replicating in a very low level, thus the
humoral immune system may not be triggered to make specific antibodies to HIV at all.
For now I am still confused and worried.Am i really ok now?What if the virus was controlled then replicated slowly after infection, would it share the same window or much long delayed or even not making antibody? ?Is the man said possible?I really need some professional opinion from you.
Thank You.
I have some questions about HIV.Need your professional help.
The STD Dr in the local hospital told me some information about the virus and the window period,and he said:" once HIV gains access to new host it goes to work infecting target cells and replicating itself. The window period refers to the period between infection and formation of detectable levels of anti-HIV antibodies in the bloodstream".
And also i learned that now the most conservative window period is 6 months(3 month is the standard),so i chosed to test after 6 months,the exact time is 7.5month mark post my unprotected vaginal exposure with a unknow woman in the club.I've totally tested 5 times with ELISA and rapid tests,there
were7week,10week,13week,5month,7.5month,all tests came back negative.My theory was to test after the most conservative window period,thus i can make sure i am really fine.Is my theory right?
But through my learning i once read a different saying about the virus.It worries me.The man said this on a forum, he said he is a doctor,and he said if a person has a very excellent immune system,then after infected the virus,his cellular immune system may well controll the virus alone and make the virus replicating in a very low level, thus the
humoral immune system may not be triggered to make specific antibodies to HIV at all.
For now I am still confused and worried.Am i really ok now?What if the virus was controlled then replicated slowly after infection, would it share the same window or much long delayed or even not making antibody? ?Is the man said possible?I really need some professional opinion from you.
Thank You.
DR,I THINK I SHOULD TRUST YOUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT .
THANKS AGIAN.
THANKS AGIAN.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The statement you quote makes no sense to me. Every person has more or less the same window period. Nobody ever catches HIV and has the negative tests you have had. It doesn't happen. Don't let your emotional reaction to an event you regret influence your thinking. You didn't catch HIV, period.
That's all I'll have to say. Please accept the scientific facts and the reasoned reassurance you have had -- probably from your own health care providers as well as on this forum.
That's all I'll have to say. Please accept the scientific facts and the reasoned reassurance you have had -- probably from your own health care providers as well as on this forum.
Really thanks for your answer ,DR,but I think i've said my exposure is " unprotected vaginal exposure with a woman in the club"..I had unprotected vaginal sex with the woman last year,and it was my only exposure ever!
I was a bit drunk and over excited..but the sex was brief i think.
And what really worries me is----
"The man said this on a forum, he said he is a doctor,and he said if a person has a very excellent immune system,then after infected the virus,his cellular immune system may well controll the virus ALONE and make the virus replicating in a very LOW level, thus the humoral immune system may NOT be triggered to make specific antibodies to HIV at all. "
What if the virus was controlled then replicated slowly after infection, would it share the same window or much long delayed or even not making antibody? ?Is the man said possible?
I was a bit drunk and over excited..but the sex was brief i think.
And what really worries me is----
"The man said this on a forum, he said he is a doctor,and he said if a person has a very excellent immune system,then after infected the virus,his cellular immune system may well controll the virus ALONE and make the virus replicating in a very LOW level, thus the humoral immune system may NOT be triggered to make specific antibodies to HIV at all. "
What if the virus was controlled then replicated slowly after infection, would it share the same window or much long delayed or even not making antibody? ?Is the man said possible?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
As to definition of the HIV seroconversion interval ("window period"), your doctor is exactly right. I couldn't have said it better myself. Please note that this is the window period for antibody only. Other HIV tests, those that detect the virus itself and not antibody, including DNA tests and p24 antigen, have shorter window periods.
Although there is debate about the window period, your doctor seems to be somewhat behind the times. With the modern HIV antibody tests, the real window period is 6-8 weeks (and actually, over 90% of newly infected persons have positive results at 4 weeks), and it never takes 6 months. Some experts continue to say 3 months, but even this is unnecessarily conservative. Here is a thread that explains why 3 month advice remains common despite evidence in favor of 6-8 weeks: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/-A-Question-on-Testing/show/1347755
Even with the most conservative window period definitions, your testing has been excessive. Your negative result at 7 weeks pretty much proved it, and the later tests confirm with 100% certainty that you didn't catch HIV during the exposure you are concerned about. You say nothing about the exposure event, so I cannot judge how high the risk was. But it wouldn't matter if you had mainlined HIV-infected blood: your test results prove unequivocally that you were not infected.
I hope this helps resolve your confusion. There is absolutely no basis for you to still be worried. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
As to definition of the HIV seroconversion interval ("window period"), your doctor is exactly right. I couldn't have said it better myself. Please note that this is the window period for antibody only. Other HIV tests, those that detect the virus itself and not antibody, including DNA tests and p24 antigen, have shorter window periods.
Although there is debate about the window period, your doctor seems to be somewhat behind the times. With the modern HIV antibody tests, the real window period is 6-8 weeks (and actually, over 90% of newly infected persons have positive results at 4 weeks), and it never takes 6 months. Some experts continue to say 3 months, but even this is unnecessarily conservative. Here is a thread that explains why 3 month advice remains common despite evidence in favor of 6-8 weeks: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/-A-Question-on-Testing/show/1347755
Even with the most conservative window period definitions, your testing has been excessive. Your negative result at 7 weeks pretty much proved it, and the later tests confirm with 100% certainty that you didn't catch HIV during the exposure you are concerned about. You say nothing about the exposure event, so I cannot judge how high the risk was. But it wouldn't matter if you had mainlined HIV-infected blood: your test results prove unequivocally that you were not infected.
I hope this helps resolve your confusion. There is absolutely no basis for you to still be worried. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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