exposed and terrified

[eckojay]

hello doctor i appreciate everything you do for terrified people like myself.
i'm hoping your have good things to say however just say what must be said.

i had a occupational exposure i got blood splashed in my eye from a hiv / hcv co-infected patient.   i was working dialysis in a prison.  

symptoms

6 weeks - sore throat
7 weeks - fever 99.5 for about 4 days
8-9 weeks - diarrhea
10-11 weeks - tired / weak / tongue is completely white / pain in side

tests

6 weeks - hiv ab / hcv ab - both negative
7 weeks (51 days ) - hiv rna qualitative tma / hcv ab - both negative
8 weeks - hiv oraquick - negative
9 weeks - hiv ab / hcv ab - both negative
10 weeks (69 days)  - hiv oraquick - negative
11 weeks -  to scared to go today

questions

1 - is 7 weeks to late to take a hiv rna qualitative tma test?
2. does co-infection delay the rate at witch it will show up on a test?
3. what is conclusive 90 days?   both hiv / hcv
4. does mode of transportation effect my tests?
5.  do you thing i might make it out of this disease free /  what do u think my chances are looking like?    
6. ever heard of a 10 week negative then end up positive ?  
7 i dont know what to think about a 9 week hcv ab test ?
8.  should i have any kind of confidence at this point?

i know im very stupid.

please help me and thank you so very much !!!!!!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Last answer.  You almost certainly did not get HIV or hepatitis C from the exposure you have described.  Further follow-up should be with occupational health specialists where you work or your own doctor.  EWH

[eckojay]

hello

11 week (77 days)
hiv ab - negative
hcv ab - negative

how much does this help my cause?

is it true that occupational exposure could take longer 2 show up then non occupational exposure ?

am i getting closer to the 99% clean mark?

anything encouraging about this?

thank dr.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Like many of our anxious clients you are asking me to repeat what I have already said.  I won't do that.  Please re-read my earlier replies.  EWH

[eckojay]

first off thanks for all you do on this forum everyday
its awesome

can u please read and comment on this for me?
as it stand right now do you think ill be ok?
if i get a 11 week negative for both how safe does that  make me?
ill keep you informed.  i hope you can do the same

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Oh please, we VERY frequently get questions asking if different types of exposures or prevention measures are 100% effective.  The answer to that is that this is scientifically impossible.  For a variety of mathematical reasons far too complex to go into here, all one can do with well conducted scientific studies is estimate probabilities.  By definition, any estimate, cannot ever be 100% certain because of the incredibly low possibility that someone will get HIV through a previously undescribed mechanism tomorrow.  On the other hand, when Dr. Handsfield or I say that something is little risk, virtually zero, very close to no risk, or of minimal risk, or use any other term to indicate a very small risk, that means "close to zero" in a world where zero cannot be attained.  

Take a deep breath and relax. You have no reason to worry. EWH

[eckojay]

please elaborate
relly very scared go get nemore tests

do u think ill be ok?
does your 8 weeks 100% accurate still stand in my case ?
if i get a 11 week negative does that basicly put me in the clear for both
if i get a 90 day negative.  should i consider myself negative?
no1 healthy ever test positive after 90 day negative?
3 months - 12 weeks    84?  90?

thank you

[eckojay]

thank you for your answers    Edward W Hook, MD

i told you im very stupid - thats y no pep

all sounds well except the term
" there is little chance that you are infected"

i was hoping for a 99% - 100 chance of being ok

and also are my symptoms typical ars?

what kind of accuracy does a 7 week rna have?
what kind of accuracy  does a 9 week hcv test have ?
what kind of accuracy does a 10 week oraquick have?
do you think ill be negative at 90 days?

again thank you very much!!!
i will keep u posted

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Occupational needles stick exposures to persons with known infection should be reported to your employee health office.  They should oversee testing.  At this time however, with your repeated negative test results and the fact that you did not do PEP (I find myself wondering why not?) there is almost no chance that you were infected with HIV and very little chance that you acquired hepatitis C.  you should continue testing as specified by your occupational health service however.  

1 - is 7 weeks to late to take a hiv rna qualitative tma test?
No, it could be done but is probably not needed at this time.  Once the HIV PCR becomes positive, it stays positive.

2. does co-infection delay the rate at witch it will show up on a test?
No, there is no such thing as "co-infection" delay.

3. what is conclusive 90 days?   both hiv / hcv
Yes.

4. does mode of transportation effect my tests?
No.

5.  do you thing i might make it out of this disease free /  what do u think my chances are looking like?    
See above. there is little chance that you are infected.

6. ever heard of a 10 week negative then end up positive ?  
No, not with current tests.

7 i dont know what to think about a 9 week hcv ab test ?
Strong evidence that you were not infected.

8.  should i have any kind of confidence at this point?
yes, you should be confident that you were not infected.

EWH

[eckojay]

i did not do pep.