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occupational needlestick. continued testing?
Hi guys, wondering if someone could offer advise. On Dec 6th 2011 I had an occupational needle stick injury while I was draeing blood on a positve white male, using a butterfly needle size 23 by 3/4 gauge. His viral load was one hundred and thirty nine and he was negative for hep c and b. I took pep consisting of truvada, norvair and presista for 30 days with 100% adhearence. Ive had the following tests: baseline negative, 16 days on pep the id Dr ordered HIV pcr by rna that came back undectable. At 16 days off pep which would have been 46 days from exposure another HIV rna by pcr which was undectable. Six Weeks from exposure negative antibody test. At 13 Weeks and two days which would have been nine Weeks post pep another negative HIV antibody test. Ive read that you need to test at 3 months post pep, however all I can find at the cdc website says from exposure, not from last dose of pep? Which means I missed the 3 month post pep test by 21 days if thats the casr. all of my tests have been by blood draws and sent to a lab. Havent used rapid tests. I am planning on going tomorrow since I am now five months post exposure and four months post pep. However, now am a little worried and was wondering uf my nine week post pep test is a good indication, or was worthless in terms of accuracy. And why do I still need a six month test?? OSHA? Hospital rules for insurance? I have been in my own with the help of my pcp for testing as the employer fired me for this, so I can no longer follow up with the id dr. thanks for anyhelp you can provide.
Wooohooo x 1 million!!! Thanks for you advice and support. Going to our first court hearing on Friday. I will let you know how it goes. The attorneys from the hospital have been trying to get me to settle out of court, but im pushing it forward. Not only for me, but for the next employees that they could do this to. This has been suck a stressful new year, and im glad that its finally over. Thanks again.
Yes, your result is completely conclusive! Congrats! Now you can resume your daily life!
Hi guys. Had my blood drawn yesterday, and got results back today. HIV antibody screen 1/2 was negative. This test was five months post exposure, and 4 months from last dose of pep meds. Is this now considered 100% conclusive? No need for another test in 27 days, which eould be six months from exposure? Can I finally resume unprotected sex with my husband? It has been a lllllooooonnnggg five months. Thanks eveyone for the advice and support.
Like I said, with this kind of exposure, transmission is RARE. I think you'll be just fine, be sure to update us with your results.
Good luck with your claim, that's a shame that they fired you over that. Amazing!
Good luck with your claim, that's a shame that they fired you over that. Amazing!
From what ive read, occupational needlesticks carry a 0.3 percent chance of transmission without pep. So 99.7 percent dont get infected. So if I took pep and reduced the chance by 86% that should be like 0.0001 percent chance.. I hope. Ill post results when I get them thanks again for the advice.
Have you ever seen someone test at nine weeks post pep be positive by teelve Weeks. Also I forgot to add that I never had any symptoms at all through this other than anxiety.
It is workmans comp, and thats why I have an attorney. Do you think im in the clear now even tho I missed it by 21 days from three months off pep?
Not sure if I wrote this correctly. I was on pep for thirty days. Had all the above testing. My 13 week and two day from exposure antibody test was negative. That test was also equivalnt to 9 Weeks off of pep. So if one needs to test post pep, that means I missed the conclusive test by 21 days. I just spoke to someone at the cdc who states there guidelines are from exposure. Not last dose of pep. So im wondering where that came from, other than someones theory that pep delays antibody production. I dont think my 21 day shy of three month post pep is going to change, but ill test for all practical purposes. On a side note, yes I followed protocol, it was simply an accident. In my discharge letter they stated it was due to an exposure, so yes I have an attorney. They did pay for the pep meds, only because I took them approx. 1 hour from exposure and they gave me a thirty day supply. I was fired three days after. So I already had the meds. However, they refused appts eith the infectious disease Dr after her initial consult and baseline tedts, so my pcp has been doing them. He, however I feel is old school, and says six months for conclusive test. Thanks for your hhelp.
I didn't see the part about your employer firing you for this!!! Depedning on what state you live in, you may have a legal case (unless it was a case of gross negligence on your part, or if you failed to follow proper protocol in reporting the incident).
Also, your employer has an obligation to follow up on the testing protocol for you (and any medical care as it relates to the exposure), fired or not. Did you pay for the nPEP, or did your employer? That should ALL fall under workman's comp. It is a serious matter for an employer to terminate someone based on a WC claim, which it sort of sounds like.
I would call a lawyer, just to see if you have a case.
Also, your employer has an obligation to follow up on the testing protocol for you (and any medical care as it relates to the exposure), fired or not. Did you pay for the nPEP, or did your employer? That should ALL fall under workman's comp. It is a serious matter for an employer to terminate someone based on a WC claim, which it sort of sounds like.
I would call a lawyer, just to see if you have a case.
I don't know that the CDC has that info on their site, Teak would know, but that is the accepted guideline. Chances are, you'll be just fine. It's extremely rare for an exposure like yours to result in infection. I worked in Employee Health for years, and never saw a person become infected after any incident, and some were pretty significant.
A negative tomorrow will be extremely reassuring.
A negative tomorrow will be extremely reassuring.
Thanks guys. I dont think 21 days will change. Can someone post the cdc guidlines for testing after last dose, I still cant find it. Thanks
Typically, one should be tested 3 months after your last dose of nPEP for a conclusive result.
You need to follow the recommendations of your facility's employee health dept based on their policy for an exposure. If you disagree with their testing guidelines, you can always bring up your concerns, they may allow for an extra test, at 3 months post the completion of the nPEP, to put your mind at ease.
Your test tomorrow is going to be pretty much conclusive though. It would be HIGHLY unlikely for your test result to change at this point.
You need to follow the recommendations of your facility's employee health dept based on their policy for an exposure. If you disagree with their testing guidelines, you can always bring up your concerns, they may allow for an extra test, at 3 months post the completion of the nPEP, to put your mind at ease.
Your test tomorrow is going to be pretty much conclusive though. It would be HIGHLY unlikely for your test result to change at this point.
Thanks teak. Thats what I figured. So does the cdc say three months from exposure? Or three months from last dose of pep? All I can find from the cdc is exposure and nothing about having to test from last dose of pep. I assume that the thinking behind that would be that pep could delay antibody response since we know that it slows viral replication. But why dosent the cdc claim this then? Is my nine week post pep, and 13 week 2 day from exposure, plus my pcr tests enough? Testing tomorrow regardless, but now worried all over again thanks teak.
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