HIV ECLIA test reactive, Rapid test negative

[bubbagumpshrimpin]

As part of a small surgery procedure, got my blood work done. They told me that i am HIV reactive, using the ECLIA test with value of 1.4.

Obviously I freaked out and went to a clinic to get a rapid test, which was negative. PCR test will come back in a few days.

I am low risk, straight male that has sex only a few times a year with condoms, very vanilla stuff. Never injected any drugs. I would've never imagined I'd be at risk for HIV.

My question is, how reliable is the ECLIA test? I've read conflicitng info - they say they are 99%+ accurate, but I've also seen studies that has a huge percentage of false positives...which is correct?

Is it a good sign that my rapid test came back negative, or not at all since that is much less accurate than ECLIA?

Lastly, I have recently had my 4th covid shot, would that impact anything? Heard that the spike proteins for covid and HIV are very similar.

Thanks.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Since you only used condoms you can't get hiv from intercourse. Micro tears are a myth so you don't have to worry about condom failure - which is always a long tear down the seam - obviously that never happened. If you've never shared a hollow needle for drug injection, then you are negative. You are not low risk, you are ZERO RISK.
False positives do happen so that is what happened to you. Covid shot has nothing to do with hiv testing which is why they don't ask if you had a Covid shot.

[bubbagumpshrimpin]

Thanks...I just looked it up ECLIA is 99.6% accurate?? I am worried now....

Do you know how often reactives/positives become negative/false positive with further testing?

[AnxiousNoMore]

You had no risk at any time in your life so the only reason to test is to clear up a false positive, which lots of people (like me for instance) wouldn't bother doing. No risk = negative. If you weren't waiting for your PCR results I would tell you to forget about this.
Take care, you have all the info.

[bubbagumpshrimpin]

Ok thank you so much! Would you consider unprotected oral high risk? I remember that happened once in the last year. The girl is also a low risk profile...

[AnxiousNoMore]

Oral is zero risk no matter how many cuts even if they are bleeding because hiv is dead in air and also dead in saliva so that's 21 deaths and only 1 is needed.

[AnxiousNoMore]

sb ...  so that's 2 deaths and only 1 is needed.

[bubbagumpshrimpin]

Hey there, just want to come back here and let you know that my PCR came back negative. Thanks for your help. Apparently screening tests have a good amount of false positives because they cast a wide net on purpose. Even the doc told me so and also all the reports I read. I am still baffled as to why I have a high level of antibodies, perhaps I have some other infection going on but at least I can rest easy knowing I don't have HIV.

[AnxiousNoMore]

You had zero risk so it has to come back negative, except in rare case like yours, where it gave a false positive. That's why I told you I wouldn't even bother testing since you had zero risk.

[bubbagumpshrimpin]

Out of curiosity, do you know how rare or what the percentage is for false positives? I found a wide range of numbers, wondering if you might know. Thanks.

[AnxiousNoMore]

This is not a testing, training or research centre for trivia questions about hiv.
All you need to know is "You had zero risk so ...."