Aa
I'm i exposed?
Dear Dr.
I'm writing from Ghana, Africa.
On the 8th January, i got a lot to drink and ended up with a prostitute in bed. She gave me a blow job, i fingered her enough and nearly made love to her when my penis was wasn't erecting enough for penetration.
She immediately prevented me from penetrating her without a condom. I also licked her ears but also prevented me from Kissing her. I later realised i might have fingered her with a sore finger.
3days later, i felt burning sensation on the glands of my penis. within the same week, i felt some pains in my buttocks and thighs and can't tell whether it all came about due to the rigorous process i went through to change my flatted car tyre.
I went to the hospital a week after the possible exposure and the doctor diagnosed herpes and yeast infection. He did not do any test though. I later read about the symptoms of genital herpes and i realised i din't have blisters.
I've had 3 antibody hiv test as at now, i.e. since 8th January and all came negative. The last one i had was yesterday. Honestly i can't stand the worrying waiting for 3months to have a conclusive test.
I went today to have PCR test but i was convince by the Medical Lab expert to have the Western Blot test. I will be going for the results in 2 weeks time
I really want to get over this worrying, i can't really concentrate on anything.
Dr. What do you think and can the western blot test detect hiv within the window period?
I'm writing from Ghana, Africa.
On the 8th January, i got a lot to drink and ended up with a prostitute in bed. She gave me a blow job, i fingered her enough and nearly made love to her when my penis was wasn't erecting enough for penetration.
She immediately prevented me from penetrating her without a condom. I also licked her ears but also prevented me from Kissing her. I later realised i might have fingered her with a sore finger.
3days later, i felt burning sensation on the glands of my penis. within the same week, i felt some pains in my buttocks and thighs and can't tell whether it all came about due to the rigorous process i went through to change my flatted car tyre.
I went to the hospital a week after the possible exposure and the doctor diagnosed herpes and yeast infection. He did not do any test though. I later read about the symptoms of genital herpes and i realised i din't have blisters.
I've had 3 antibody hiv test as at now, i.e. since 8th January and all came negative. The last one i had was yesterday. Honestly i can't stand the worrying waiting for 3months to have a conclusive test.
I went today to have PCR test but i was convince by the Medical Lab expert to have the Western Blot test. I will be going for the results in 2 weeks time
I really want to get over this worrying, i can't really concentrate on anything.
Dr. What do you think and can the western blot test detect hiv within the window period?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum.
You describe an obvious high risk situation. Although I have no direct knowledge of HIV epidemiology in Ghana, I imagine that commercial sex workers there are quite likely to have HIV. That said, the exposure itself was safe. HIV is very rarely transmitted (if at all) by oral sex from the oral to penile partner and has never been known to be transmitted by fingering, even with cuts or other wounds on the fingers. That your partner insisted on condom use might be a good sign; it could indicate she knows she does not have HIV and wants to stay that way. (After all, commercial sex workers are more at risk for HIV from their clients than the other way around.)
That said, if your local experts believe you should have a PCR test, they might believe your risk was substantial. Or maybe they are doing that test because you have expressed a lot of anxiety about it, and they recommended it because they believe that a negative result will be reassuring. But I don't understand the Western blot part. Normally WB is done only to confirm a positive blood test and usually is not recommended when the initial antibody test is negative, as yours have been. You'll have to ask them about these aspect.
All things considered, it is very unlikely you caught HIV from the January 8 events. But at this point all you can do is await the test results. I expect your PCR and WB tests to be negative, which will be highly reassuring. But you also will need follow-up HIV antibody tests in a few weeks.
Another option, if you can locate your partner, is to ask her directly whether or not she has HIV, or even to be tested for it now. Perhaps you might offer to pay for her to be tested. If you can confirm she has a negative HIV test, you will know you aren't at risk.
Follow your local doctor's or clinic's advice about all this. But in the meantime, try not to worry to much. The odds are strongly in your favor.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You describe an obvious high risk situation. Although I have no direct knowledge of HIV epidemiology in Ghana, I imagine that commercial sex workers there are quite likely to have HIV. That said, the exposure itself was safe. HIV is very rarely transmitted (if at all) by oral sex from the oral to penile partner and has never been known to be transmitted by fingering, even with cuts or other wounds on the fingers. That your partner insisted on condom use might be a good sign; it could indicate she knows she does not have HIV and wants to stay that way. (After all, commercial sex workers are more at risk for HIV from their clients than the other way around.)
That said, if your local experts believe you should have a PCR test, they might believe your risk was substantial. Or maybe they are doing that test because you have expressed a lot of anxiety about it, and they recommended it because they believe that a negative result will be reassuring. But I don't understand the Western blot part. Normally WB is done only to confirm a positive blood test and usually is not recommended when the initial antibody test is negative, as yours have been. You'll have to ask them about these aspect.
All things considered, it is very unlikely you caught HIV from the January 8 events. But at this point all you can do is await the test results. I expect your PCR and WB tests to be negative, which will be highly reassuring. But you also will need follow-up HIV antibody tests in a few weeks.
Another option, if you can locate your partner, is to ask her directly whether or not she has HIV, or even to be tested for it now. Perhaps you might offer to pay for her to be tested. If you can confirm she has a negative HIV test, you will know you aren't at risk.
Follow your local doctor's or clinic's advice about all this. But in the meantime, try not to worry to much. The odds are strongly in your favor.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Going according to your advice:
1. I managed to track the prostitute, and had the hiv status chat with her. She has never taken an HIV test before and kind of scared to do so. All the same she claimed she would let me know when she gets the courage to take the test after i promised to pay for the test.
I called her early this morning and she claimes she will call me later today or tommorrow to have the test. She has been in prostitution for a year now and has a child who is 6yrs.
Again, she insisted she never have unprotected sex and never allow her clients to kiss her.
2. Also on the western blot, i called the medical laboratory and got it cancel. They will only go ahead with the PCR TEST.
1. I managed to track the prostitute, and had the hiv status chat with her. She has never taken an HIV test before and kind of scared to do so. All the same she claimed she would let me know when she gets the courage to take the test after i promised to pay for the test.
I called her early this morning and she claimes she will call me later today or tommorrow to have the test. She has been in prostitution for a year now and has a child who is 6yrs.
Again, she insisted she never have unprotected sex and never allow her clients to kiss her.
2. Also on the western blot, i called the medical laboratory and got it cancel. They will only go ahead with the PCR TEST.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
From what I can tell, you took exactly the right approach in your conversation with the sex worker. Many men in your situation might be forceful about it, but it sounds like you were understanding and supportive. Good show! I hope she gets tested -- it certainly is in her interest to do so. Even if her test is positive, it remains unlikely that you would be infected during the exposure you describe. Good luck.
Hi Dr. Below is the details of the PCR HIV Test results. I want your say on the results pls, especially on the comments pls.
..........................................................................................................................
TEST RESULT UNIT
Qualitative HIV-1 PCR: HIV-1 viral load COMMENT:
This assay has not been validated for diagonostic purposes. The HIV viral load should decrease by 1 log (10 fold) from baseline 6-8 weeks after intiation of HAART.
The HIV-1 viral load should be below the detection limit of 40 copies/ml after 6 months of HAART in almost all patients. A detectable viral load on 2 or more occasions from specimens taken 6 weeks apart indicates therapeutic failure. The most common reason for therapeutic failure is due to poor patient compliance but may also be due to incorrect dosing, recent infections, immunizations or drug resistance. If HIV-1 drug resistance is considered to be a reason for therapeutic failure, a HIV-1 genotypic resistance test can be requested.
..........................................................................................................................
TEST RESULT UNIT
Qualitative HIV-1 PCR: HIV-1 viral load COMMENT:
This assay has not been validated for diagonostic purposes. The HIV viral load should decrease by 1 log (10 fold) from baseline 6-8 weeks after intiation of HAART.
The HIV-1 viral load should be below the detection limit of 40 copies/ml after 6 months of HAART in almost all patients. A detectable viral load on 2 or more occasions from specimens taken 6 weeks apart indicates therapeutic failure. The most common reason for therapeutic failure is due to poor patient compliance but may also be due to incorrect dosing, recent infections, immunizations or drug resistance. If HIV-1 drug resistance is considered to be a reason for therapeutic failure, a HIV-1 genotypic resistance test can be requested.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You don't actually state the result. Was it negative? That's all that matters. All the words simply are advice to doctors about how to interpret the test result.
Hi Dr., i did state the results as it was in the lab report but it seems some phrases, signs or words are not allowed to show on the forum. Another shot at it is below, this time replacing some of the signs with words
TEST RESULT
QUALITATIVE HIV-1 PCR: " less than sign"
HIV PCR Quantitative
HIV-1 Viral load " less than sign 40 cps/ml"
"No HIV copies were detected with this assay"
All the same it states that there is no copies of HIV detected with procedure
TEST RESULT
QUALITATIVE HIV-1 PCR: " less than sign"
HIV PCR Quantitative
HIV-1 Viral load " less than sign 40 cps/ml"
"No HIV copies were detected with this assay"
All the same it states that there is no copies of HIV detected with procedure
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I can't tell what you are confused about. Obviously, "No copies of HIV detected with procedure" means it was negative.
Continue to follow your local doctors' advice about possible additional follow-up testing. You can expect your tests to remain negative and you can relax about it.
That will be all for this thread. Take care.
Continue to follow your local doctors' advice about possible additional follow-up testing. You can expect your tests to remain negative and you can relax about it.
That will be all for this thread. Take care.
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
