Aa
confusion over roche <20 rna detected
Doctor, I had what some would call a no risk situation, hand job about 8 weeks ago. My last risky exposure was in 8 months ago, unprotected vaginal sex. I tested with several antibodies and one pooled RNA, negative. After the hand job, a few weeks after, I staring losing a lot of hair and became fatigue, anxiety and HIV ocd were present. So I did an antibody at 4 weeks, negative, RNA at 3 weeks <50 specimen, negative. I know this sounds like paranoia and it probably is, but my 3 week RNA test was done by the most irate nurse I've seen who yelled at me and stated I was somehow offending him by testing because I can't catch HIV with hand contact and he said people like me make him feel sick to his stomach, because he has HIV and people think they can catch it from him easy. Long story short, it wasn't long after this test that I started feeling sick, hair loss and a few cold sores a week later. So I went through another lab and they ordered a Roche <20 spec test through biosciences. RNA for HIV 1 was detected in 7-20 copies, so they said. My question, if I somehow was unlucky enough to catch HIV through a hand job, wouldn't my viral load be high? If the counselor, who had the syringe locked and ready, didn't see him taking it out of wrapper, infected me, I know, I know, all theories and paranoia, but if he did, wouldn't my viral load be high? Could I have gotten the virus a longggg time ago and be an elite controller? As mention, I tested 8 months out with negative antibody from my real risk. After I got this RNA detected at <20 spec, I did an antibody which would've been 8 weeks after hand job and almost five weeks after syringe scare, the antibodies came back negative. Could this just be a false RNA positive since the viral load was below 20?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
While I cannot condone the apparent attitude of the nurse who tested you, s/he was exactly right. Had you come to my clinic, we would have refused to test you for HIV RNA no matter how much you insisted (but I do believe we would have done so politely and with sensitivity to your worries).
In any case, the negative result was truly negative. It is impossible to have HIV without detectable RNA at high levels only 3 weeks after exposure. And "elite controllers" always have positive antibody tests. Your combination of test results prove unequivocally you do not have HIV. And by the way, the symptoms you describe are not at all suggestive of HIV -- and you already know you had a zero risk exposure event.
I hope this has helped. Please don't have any more tests and do your best to stop worrying about this.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
While I cannot condone the apparent attitude of the nurse who tested you, s/he was exactly right. Had you come to my clinic, we would have refused to test you for HIV RNA no matter how much you insisted (but I do believe we would have done so politely and with sensitivity to your worries).
In any case, the negative result was truly negative. It is impossible to have HIV without detectable RNA at high levels only 3 weeks after exposure. And "elite controllers" always have positive antibody tests. Your combination of test results prove unequivocally you do not have HIV. And by the way, the symptoms you describe are not at all suggestive of HIV -- and you already know you had a zero risk exposure event.
I hope this has helped. Please don't have any more tests and do your best to stop worrying about this.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This is outlandish speculation. Re-read my original reply about "elite controllers". And your WBC count is solidly normal.
I suggest you stop searching the web. Put a lid on it for a month or so. Like many or most anxious persons, you are being drawn to information that inflames your fears and missing or not "seeing" the reassuring bits.
You do not have HIV. Believe it and move on.
That's all for this thread. I won't have any further comments or advice.
I suggest you stop searching the web. Put a lid on it for a month or so. Like many or most anxious persons, you are being drawn to information that inflames your fears and missing or not "seeing" the reassuring bits.
You do not have HIV. Believe it and move on.
That's all for this thread. I won't have any further comments or advice.
My WBC was 5.6 from 4-11 normal rating. I read lower end of WNBC could mean early infection. Should I take their advice and do DNA test or are they trying to milk money out of me?
Doc, the doctor at bioscience said I can be elite controller and not show antibodies or RNA since the test picked up low viral loads. I'm starting to think this doctor at bioscience is not qualified to run these tests, hence the positive they reported for an under 20 RNA. By default, do under 20 viral loads mean negative? Possible that they Dont know that and that's why they showed RNA detected?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's exactly what I would have predicted. No worries; you're good to go.
Doc, second teat came back <20 with RNA undetected. Thank you.
Doc? Can you reply to my last question or do I need to submit another one. Thank you, doc. Your time is appreciated. Best Regards.
Doc, one last comment and I will let this go. Someone on the body stated that depending on the amount of virus that enters the system, for example if it made it to through your vein through a syringe, your viral load might be low, hence the 6 month reccomendation for lab workers. Also, the lab that reported a detecting an HIV RNA with latest Roche test, under 20, is running another test for me. What are the chances that this highly sensitive test will puck up something again? I know feel like I have thrush, could be white costing, I'm bloating and have some knee pain. Thank you doctor.
Thank you, Doctor. Appreciated.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yes, weakly false positive results occur from time to time. This is one of the main reasons why people at low risk should never have that test -- justifying the advice your nurse tried to give you.
So the RNA detected at <20 is a false positive? Does that happen often with these tests? Thank you, doctor.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, this is impossible. It never happens.
Have you seen people with a viral load so low and no antibodies?
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.
