I could not find this information on the web

[Marion]

         Hello. I a male of 27 years old. Yesterday night my ex-girfriend called me on the phone and told me that she tested positive for the Elisa test and negative for the Western Blot, so she doesn't have the HIV virus. However, she warned me of conducting an HIV test since HER DOCTOR TOLD HER THAT A FALSE POSITIVE ELISA COULD IMPLY THAT, DESPITE SHE IS NOT INFECTED, SHE PROBABLY HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY WAS INFECTED.
    ¿Is that real? And if so, ¿Could I be that person, considering I havent even seen her for almost two years?
     Of course I will immediately conduct an HIV test, but I will be very happy to know if what she told me(or her doctor told her) is true.
       
     One last question: I have herpes in my mouth from time to time. ¿Does that increase the chances of a false positive in an Elisa Test?
 
Thank you very much. If possible, please reply promply. : - )

     

[Marion]

If need to be clarified, I had unprotected sex with her and other women before her.
Regarding the "other women before her", it is worth to mention that the unprotected sex was done with a few women but only ONCE with each. (5 women I believe, only once with each one).

[Andy Velez]

Hi,

Herpes is only an issue as far as making you more vulnerable to HIV transmission if when you are having an active herpes episode you have unprotected sex.

If you have had any unprotected intercourse whether recently or in the distant past then you need to get tested for HIV. A test should be done at not less than 13 weeks after the most recent unprotected incident.

As far as the ELISA is concerned, a negative on the western blot always trumps a positive on the ELISA. You should not be basing your evaluation of your HIV status on what your ex-gf or anyone else has to say. Only your own HIV test done at the appropriate time can give you that answer.

And just in general remember that no matter who your partner is you should be wearing a latex condom everytime you have intercourse. No exceptions. Period. Everytime you have unprotected intercourse you are putting your life at risk. It's as stark and as simple as that. No kidding.

Good luck with your test result.

Cheers,  

[Marion]

Thank you very much for the reply.

 What is the probability of an Elisa Test to be false positive?
 
 What is the probability of contracting the disease in a ONE TIME male-to-female sexual intercourse without protection (supposing the female is HIV+ and the male HIV-)    (I have heard it was very low and I don't know if that is a myth or not. I also read the "HIV Transmission Lesson" but still couldn't get specific information about this issue)

 To what extent herpes increases the probability of transmission?

  Thank you very much for all of your advice and work. It has been by far the best source of information I have found in the WEB.
  I am not an expert in the subject but I'd like to help you in any way to continue carrying on this wonderful service you are giving to humanity.

[SirPrize]

Marion, I don't know the answers to your questions regarding the "false positive" or "herpes" questions.  However, what stood out to me was that in 2006 you seem amazed that HIV transmission could be from female to male.  It matters not that there was only one time each with five women.  The African continent is being depleted of heterosexual beings from this very mode of transmission.  I was around your age when I was infected and that was some twenty-three years ago (an age when I was invincible, as I recall)!

Please, if you have had or are having unprotected sex 1) get tested, and 2) STOP!  HIV is indiscriminate and there are many options available to avoid becoming infected.  Don't buy into any myth's about low probability modes of transmission.  There is too much information out there to take a risk nowadays.  A good motto to live by: Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.

I don't mean this to sound like a reprimand but am only offering you sound advice from someone who's been there and regretted it.

[Marion]

Thank you very much for the support. I have conducted the test in the morning (today) and I have been practicing safe sex for quite a while now.

But I am extremely anxious because of my past mistakes and because I am in love with someone and if I infected her I believe I will just not be able to bear it. I am willing to pay for my mistakes, each one of them, but if something happens to her it would be devastating...I just can't explain it with words.

[Andy Velez]

Well, I can understand your concern about the health of the person you're involved with now.

What I can also say is that HIV is not an easy virus to transmit. It is very significantly harder to accomplish from female to male so the odds against you getting it from a woman via intercourse are very much in your favor.

But of course low risk is not the same as no risk so the wise thing is getting tested and remove any doubts from your mind.

You yourself would be more at risk for HIV yourself if you were having an outbreak of herpes during unprotected intercourse. 

Good luck and keep us posted. Like I said, the odds are still in your favor that you'll come out of this ok.

Until the issue is resolved and for that matter until you are in a securely monogamous relationship in which both partners have tested negative you should be using condoms everytime you have intercourse.


Cheers,

[Marion]

I am and will continue to have safe sex. Thank you very much for answering my questions. I would like to help in the woderful job you guys are doing here everyday, financially or by any other means. Please do not hesitate to contact me, you got my email.