That question also has been asked and discussed often. But here is a fresh summary:
Although it is often said that immunosuppressive drugs might alter the reliability of HIV testing or delay seroconversion, this is purely theoretical. If it is real, it probably applies only to the most potent chemotherapy or profoundly immunosuppressive therapy, of the kind used for cancer chemotherapy or the giant doses of drugs used for acute life threatening immunologic diseases. Even these circumstances have never actually been reported in the scientific literature as having any effect. The garden variety sort of immunosuppression used to treat things like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or inflammatory bowel disease -- drugs like corticosteroids, methotrexate, and the biologic cytokine inhibitors (like alefacept) -- have no known effect on HIV test results.
OK, but don't split hairs; I misspoke and meant all biological/antibody immunosuppressive drugs, whether directed against cytokines, T cells, or whatever. See what I said about only potent chemotherapy etc. There are no guarantees and no specific data, but I see no likely effect on seroconversion.
Dr Handsfield and Dr Hook have already answered this if you would search the forum you would of found it so here you go read it good
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/621245
Dr. Handsfiled or Hook,
Question for either one of....(and I hate to thread jump).
Seemed like a very relevant issue on another forum board.
Have you seen the latest findings about Ora quick and the high false rate related to them? Some tests providing nearly 17% false rates?
It is a legitimate study from the Kaiser Foundation website.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=54297
Could we have your feedback? I know and many on here know that you are both knowledgeable on this topic and are curious for your expertise input.
Thanks
To the person whose thread...I apologize....just wanted to know their advice on this current hot topic on HIV/AIDS.
DR.
Alefacept is not a cytokine inhibitor,it is a T-cell therapy designed to cripple T cells.Last time I bother you,does this change anything.
the title can't find an answer was aimed at the immunesuppressant drug,I am more concerned with this biologic (alefacept) masking or hiding my ability to produce antibodies.
Re the title you chose for your question, "Can't find answer": Did you look at existing threads as suggested at the top of the fourm? You are re-asking the same questions that take up the large majority of threads. You would have seen the answers if you had picked almost any 10 threads at random.
The basic replies are that few heterosexual women have HIV; that oral sex rarely transmits HIV (some experts believe that oral to genital transmission never occurs); that symptoms never reliably indicate new HIV infections, since the symptoms or new HIV are identical to those of other, much more common minor illnesses (and your symptoms don't sound like HIV anyway); and negative HIV test results are almost 100% reliable 6-8 weeks after exposure.
In other words, you were not at risk for HIV and did not need testing at all, assuming you have no other potential exposures to the virus. You certainly don't need any additional testing.
I hope this helps. Take care-- HHH, MD