Worried due to symptoms

[bengal_tiger]

Hello Doctor,

I may have had a possible exposure to HIV, 2 years and 4 months ago in California. It was protected however. The condom was intact but I didnt ejaculate and my penis was kind of limp after I pulled out. On the 5th day I had a diarrhea. It lasted about 4-5 days. There was no fever or any other symptoms. Around that time I started having dry lips and that has continued till now. A year later I started noticing reduction in the saliva. Around the same time I got a brown patch just below my left ear. I do get dandruff regularly. I am afraid I may have yeast infection in the mouth

I got tested with "OraQuick Advanced 1/2" 4 times in 2 different clinics and with Uni-gold in a 3rd clinic once in the past 1 year with the most recent being a month ago. All were negative. These was no other exposure since the incident.

I checked my regular CBC 2 months ago and my lymphocytes count was 4200 and 44%.

My wife recently started having enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits. My wife's lymphocytes count is 3200 and 50%.

I am worried all these symptoms and the blood count may be pointing to HIV.

Please tell me if these rapid tests are reliable and my negavtive status is conclusive or I should go for blood test. Is it true that these tests can not detect antibodies due to some strains?

I appreciate your answer.

Thanks.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I am no expert in blood counts.  But my understanding is that WBC differential counts vary widely in normal, healthy people -- over the course of a day or a week, and in response to any number of trivial events, like the common cold, allergies, and unknown factors.  A single result usually is meaningless.  Certainly it is not a reason to suspect an HIV infection.  And I don't think your wife's count is particularly high anyway.  The absolute count is more important than the percentage, and yours is higher than hers.  Neither one is a bothersome result in my opinion.

Continue to work with your primary physician if you have any ongoing health concerns.  But you need not worry about HIV.

That will be all for this thread.  Take care.

[bengal_tiger]

Thank you Doctor for your answer. It is reassuring.

I get my physical including CBC done every year because of my sugar level near the top of the normal range and diabetes history in the family.

Is My wife's lymphocytes count also normal? I thought 50% may be very high.

Thanks.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the HIV forum.

All that is necessary to answer your question, and to judge the chance you caught HIV, are the HIV test results.  Modern HIV tests, including the ones you had, detect 100% of new HIV infections within 3 months.  Therefore, your results prove that you were not infected during the exposures one year and 3 months before you were tested.  There are no HIV types not detected by these tests.  Your exposure history, symptoms, and CBC or other blood test results make no difference (but anyway, you had a low risk exposure and your symptoms do not suggest HIV, and your lymphocyte counts are normal).  (Why did you have a CBC anyway?  That test is neither recommended nor necessary in judging new HIV infections.)

So all is well.  You and your wife should see your personal health care provider(s) if you remain concerned about her possible lymph node enlargement or any other health concern.  But you can be sure HIV isn't the cause.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD