Am I at risk

[MorganM]

Hello

As far as my knowledge goes although I was drunk I had protected sex with 3 sex workers in Kenya and  Abu Dhabi, Dubai in August. When I got back to the US I noticed white coating on my tongue and I was coughing sometimes this is associated with STD's so I got scared and decided to test for HIV.   

Online std testing: I tested negative at 8 days of post exposure with DNA by PCR and antibody test.

Online std testing: I tested negative again at 32  post exposure DNA by PCR with antibody ELISA test.
Labcorp test result says range: <1:00 value <1:00 result: Negative, the DNA by PCR says just negative.  What does <1:00 mean?

I tested negative again at 39 days of post exposure with all STD's and this time just ELISA antibody test at Quest Diagnose. 3 days short from 6 weeks some online sources says 6 weeks antibody test is what you need. Does this make a big difference since it was 3 days short from being 42 days.   

7 weeks and 2 days post exposure I  tested negative at planned parenthood with Uni-gold recombigen rapid blood test by pricking on my finger.

Symptoms: I've had mild sore throat that comes and goes. I've had sharp neck pain and my right ear felt like it was clogged now all the symptoms are gone it. For my white coating on the top of my tongue I went to see an ENT doctor and he said it's a geographic tongue.

Do I need further testing at 3 months? How accurate are these tests that I've done so far. Can I have unprotected sex with my wife 
Thank you

[Joe K]

7 weeks and 2 days post exposure I  tested negative at planned parenthood with Uni-gold recombigen rapid blood test by pricking on my finger.

You didn't have a risk as protected sex is not a risk for HIV infection.  Your test at 7 weeks / 2 days is beyond the 6 weeks CDC guideline and you are reliably HIV negative. 

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to HIV testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start.  As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than HIV.  Some of the other STDs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid HIV infection.  It really is that simple!

Joe

[MorganM]

How accurate/reliable is the DNA by PCR test?

Is the Uni-gold rapid HIV test at 7 weeks as accurate and reliable as laboratory based test?

[Joe K]

You did not have a risk of HIV infection.  If you are concerned about which tests are used in your area, you should contact your local health care provider.  Our role here is risk assessment and you had no risk.

Joe

[Ann]

Morgan,

DNA PCR tests are not approved for diagnostic purposes as they have a high rate of false positive results. The ONLY way to accurately know your hiv status is to test out to three months past your last incident of unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse for a conclusive negative result.

Any positive antibody - or even positive PCR - test result MUST be confirmed with additional antibody and Western Blot testing.

You, however, are reliably and conclusively hiv negative, not because of any window period, but because you DID NOT HAVE A RISK for hiv infection. Protected intercourse is NOT a risk for hiv infection.

If you were so drunk that you are unsure whether or not you actually used a condom, you need to test at the three month point. However, your negative antibody test from over six weeks is highly unlikely to change.

The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days.

A six week (or more) negative is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point - when there has actually been a risk. It doesn't sound as though you had a risk - but only you know whether or not a condom was used each time. If one was used, you didn't have a risk and do not need further testing.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

Ann