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HIV2 Detections

Dear Dr, as far as i know the viral loads in HIV2 infected person is 21 times less than HIV1 infection. i have tested negative for both at 18 weeks by HIV1/2 Architect Combo. I have a few questions as i'm worried that my negative result is because my infection could be of HIV2.

1) Does the less viral load of HIV2 affect the time of detecting antibodies? what is the detection windo for HIV2 with 4th generation test?
2) HIV 2 is very rar so are the current tests available such as Architect combo are sensitive enough to detect it as fast as it do with the HIV1?
3) Does the symptom of HIV2 varies by any way than those of HIV1.
4) Gevin the low viral load, can we say it is zero risk to get HIV 2 from receiving oral sex.

Many thanks for your help.
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Avatar universal
OK sure i did in the STD expert forum as per your advise.
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sorry, but this is an entirely new question, seeking advice about interpretation of your HSV tests and whether you are infected with either or both HSV types.  For a reply, you'll need to post a new question on either the herpes or STD expert forum (http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Herpes/show/339, http://www.medhelp.org/forums/STDs/show/116).  Or you could try the herpes or STD community forum.
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Avatar universal
Yes Doctor I’m really struggling to get over my fear. This is mainly due to the amount of strange symptoms that are happening to me and still continue. Taking  your words that test results roll out symptoms; I would like to take your opinion on my HSV results and if it mean something to you. My IgM titer was higher 6 weeks after the exposure and then declined and IgG started to go up. Yet all are within the negative range.
Below please find my results knowing that the positive range start from (11 EU/ml) in the lab where I did the test:

-6 weeks after exposure, HSV1 IgM (5.1 EU/ml), IgG (0.7 EU/ml). HSV2 IgM (3.2 EU/ml), IgG (0.9 EU/ml). Herpeselect 2 IgG (1.9 u/ml).

-8 weeks, HSV1 IgM (2.6 EU/ml) down from (5.1 EU/ml). HSV2 IgM (2.1 EU/ml) down from HSV2 IgM (3.2 EU/ml). Herpeselect 2 IgG (2.9 u/ml) up from (1.9 u/ml).

-12 weeks HSV1 IgG (2.2 EU/ml) this is up from (0.7 EU/ml) at 6 week. Herpeselect 2 IgG (3.2 u/ml) which is also increasing.

1) Does the above test result indicate possible recent infection of HSV1 or 2?
2)If not is it indication of reaction to other viral infection? What it could be if not HSV or HIV.

Doctor I really appreciate your help in answering  my doubt as I just want to understand what’s going on and I value your experience which will help me to understand and not bother you.
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm sorry you continue to worry so much about an event that carried no HIV risk anyway.  HIV-2 is just as rare in France as in the US, so the chance you were exposed to that virus is zero for practical purposes; and as we discussed last time, oral sex rarely if ever transmits HIV (of either ytpe).  Your test results are equally valid for HIV-2 as for HIV-1.  The window period is the same, the combo test is equally sensitive for both viruses, and early symptoms are equally useless in recognizing HIV-2 as HIV-1.

Those brief comments address all four of your questions.  Do your best to stop obsessing about this, and for goodness sake stop searching the internet.  Like most anxious persons, you are being attracted to information that inflames your anxieties and missing the reassuring parts.

There will be no further discussion on this thread.  Move on.

HHH, MD
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