Aa
Condom broken, please assess my risk
Dear Doctor,
I am 35, an asian male from China. I had sexintercourse with a commericial sexworker in Tianjin, a city in north China on July 10. But she is from south China. I used a condom which she gave me at the beginning. But when finished I found that condom was fully broken. Therefore I had ejaculated directly in her viginal. I cannot be sure when that condom broke. I had actually unprotected viginal sex with her (for a few minutes, I guess) and ejaculation in her. I was worried about HIV infection since then. On August 08, I got Oral ulcer. I was very worried because I think it could be a symptom for initial HIV infection. So I didnot wait longer and went to a hospital the next day (on August 09, about 30 days post) and took a HIV-antibody test, the result was negative, which gave me some relief. But I found yesterday (August, 10) (no intentionally) I had probably Lymph node ache?(below my left jaw), it hurts a little by pressure and when i open my mouth widely. There is also a little swollen from outside. Because I am not a doctor I cannot tell if I actually have Swollen lymph nodes. But I never had this symptom before. . Today, on August 11, the symptoms remains (Oral ulcer and left jaw ache) and I get also some slight symptoms of cold. I am afraid these could be symptoms of a initial HIV infection. Could you please be so kind and tell me:
1. How convinced is a 4 weeks HIV-antibody test after exposure? I have also read some chinese AIDS/HIV forums, there are different opions about windows time (4 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months...) Is there a difference in window period according to races?
2. I plan to take a new HIV virus test. When should I do this? Is it in six weeks after exposure ok or should i wait longer?
3. Could these symptoms I had newly be initial HIV-infection symptoms? That means, my body produce HIV-antibody slowly (after 4 weeks post exposure) and I will get antibody in my body after these symptoms? How probably is this?
Thank you.
I am 35, an asian male from China. I had sexintercourse with a commericial sexworker in Tianjin, a city in north China on July 10. But she is from south China. I used a condom which she gave me at the beginning. But when finished I found that condom was fully broken. Therefore I had ejaculated directly in her viginal. I cannot be sure when that condom broke. I had actually unprotected viginal sex with her (for a few minutes, I guess) and ejaculation in her. I was worried about HIV infection since then. On August 08, I got Oral ulcer. I was very worried because I think it could be a symptom for initial HIV infection. So I didnot wait longer and went to a hospital the next day (on August 09, about 30 days post) and took a HIV-antibody test, the result was negative, which gave me some relief. But I found yesterday (August, 10) (no intentionally) I had probably Lymph node ache?(below my left jaw), it hurts a little by pressure and when i open my mouth widely. There is also a little swollen from outside. Because I am not a doctor I cannot tell if I actually have Swollen lymph nodes. But I never had this symptom before. . Today, on August 11, the symptoms remains (Oral ulcer and left jaw ache) and I get also some slight symptoms of cold. I am afraid these could be symptoms of a initial HIV infection. Could you please be so kind and tell me:
1. How convinced is a 4 weeks HIV-antibody test after exposure? I have also read some chinese AIDS/HIV forums, there are different opions about windows time (4 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months...) Is there a difference in window period according to races?
2. I plan to take a new HIV virus test. When should I do this? Is it in six weeks after exposure ok or should i wait longer?
3. Could these symptoms I had newly be initial HIV-infection symptoms? That means, my body produce HIV-antibody slowly (after 4 weeks post exposure) and I will get antibody in my body after these symptoms? How probably is this?
Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
Having had condom failure would certainly put you at risk of an STI including HIV. However the risk for you from a single exposure asuming that the lady was postive is relatively low. It is important to be tested for other STIs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and others, because they are more common and much easier to contract. I am going to answer your questions here below:
1. How convinced is a 4 weeks HIV-antibody test after exposure? I have also read some chinese AIDS/HIV forums, there are different opions about windows time (4 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months...) Is there a difference in window period according to races?
EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BE HIGHLY RELIABLE AND REASSURING, IT CANNOT BE CONSIDERED FULLY CONCLUSIVE. YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE IT REPEATED AT 8 WEEKS; THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH. NO DIFFERENCE IN WINDOW PERIODS ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT RACES.
2. I plan to take a new HIV virus test. When should I do this? Is it in six weeks after exposure ok or should i wait longer?
IDEALLY AT EIGHT WEEKS. A NEGATIVE RESULT WOULD BE CONCLUSIVE.
3. Could these symptoms I had newly be initial HIV-infection symptoms? That means, my body produce HIV-antibody slowly (after 4 weeks post exposure) and I will get antibody in my body after these symptoms? How probably is this?
YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE RELATED WITH HIV SERO-CONVERSION. THE FACT THAT THE TEST WAS NEGATIVE AFTER HAVING HAD THOSE SYMPTOMS, IT WOULD CONFIRM THAT THOSE SYMPTOMS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SERO-CONVERSION
Best wishes,
Dr José
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
Having had condom failure would certainly put you at risk of an STI including HIV. However the risk for you from a single exposure asuming that the lady was postive is relatively low. It is important to be tested for other STIs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and others, because they are more common and much easier to contract. I am going to answer your questions here below:
1. How convinced is a 4 weeks HIV-antibody test after exposure? I have also read some chinese AIDS/HIV forums, there are different opions about windows time (4 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months...) Is there a difference in window period according to races?
EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BE HIGHLY RELIABLE AND REASSURING, IT CANNOT BE CONSIDERED FULLY CONCLUSIVE. YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE IT REPEATED AT 8 WEEKS; THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH. NO DIFFERENCE IN WINDOW PERIODS ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT RACES.
2. I plan to take a new HIV virus test. When should I do this? Is it in six weeks after exposure ok or should i wait longer?
IDEALLY AT EIGHT WEEKS. A NEGATIVE RESULT WOULD BE CONCLUSIVE.
3. Could these symptoms I had newly be initial HIV-infection symptoms? That means, my body produce HIV-antibody slowly (after 4 weeks post exposure) and I will get antibody in my body after these symptoms? How probably is this?
YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE RELATED WITH HIV SERO-CONVERSION. THE FACT THAT THE TEST WAS NEGATIVE AFTER HAVING HAD THOSE SYMPTOMS, IT WOULD CONFIRM THAT THOSE SYMPTOMS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SERO-CONVERSION
Best wishes,
Dr José
Hello Dr José,
thank you very much for your reply and answers to my questions. Now I know that an 8 weeks test will be conclusive and I will do that. And maybe I will take even a test at six weeks post exposure before that because I am very stressed these days.
To your answer to question 3, I still want to clarify a little, I found Oral ulcer in the evening on August 08, I took the test on August 09. And I got left jaw problem at afternoon on August 10, so it appeared after test. Today (August 11th), although my oral ulcer is still not fully healed, but it becomes not so seriously. But a point at the end of my left jaw has pain when I open my mouth wide or i pressure at this point a little, and I get swollen left jaw, people can see that easily and I feel that swell all the time. I am not sure if it is lymph node pain or not, because I feel no swollen lymph node there nor otherwhere on my body. I konw it maybe stupid, but I am scared by the thought it could be cause by HIV-Virus, because I never had this symptom before. Could you please give me some tips to that?
At last i would also like to know about the timely relationship between sero-conversion symptoms and detectable HIV anti bodies in case of HIV infection. Is it that one get symptoms and then the body build anti bodies meanwhile or when the symptoms appear, the body has already produced enough detectable antibodies?
Best regards.
Chen
thank you very much for your reply and answers to my questions. Now I know that an 8 weeks test will be conclusive and I will do that. And maybe I will take even a test at six weeks post exposure before that because I am very stressed these days.
To your answer to question 3, I still want to clarify a little, I found Oral ulcer in the evening on August 08, I took the test on August 09. And I got left jaw problem at afternoon on August 10, so it appeared after test. Today (August 11th), although my oral ulcer is still not fully healed, but it becomes not so seriously. But a point at the end of my left jaw has pain when I open my mouth wide or i pressure at this point a little, and I get swollen left jaw, people can see that easily and I feel that swell all the time. I am not sure if it is lymph node pain or not, because I feel no swollen lymph node there nor otherwhere on my body. I konw it maybe stupid, but I am scared by the thought it could be cause by HIV-Virus, because I never had this symptom before. Could you please give me some tips to that?
At last i would also like to know about the timely relationship between sero-conversion symptoms and detectable HIV anti bodies in case of HIV infection. Is it that one get symptoms and then the body build anti bodies meanwhile or when the symptoms appear, the body has already produced enough detectable antibodies?
Best regards.
Chen
Besides, I have read that in China the 3rd generation test is used generally.
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