HIV RISK

[KatsinaJ]

I am 45 yrs old. I had unprotected sex for about 30 seconds with a woman that I don't know her status. 6 days later a fever in the night and a sweat at first I thought it was Malaria so i took complete dose of ACT drug that i experienced loss of appetite. After some 10 days a flu-like with small dry cough and when I take a medication it went off, though the weather in the area make several ppl have this type of flue-like condition because of the whether. about 3 weeks I shake hands with a friend that has some rashes that I think is contagious and I am worried and washed my hands with only water. 7 weeks later, very small rashes appear almost similar in nature and location(on the upper arm) to his own appeared on me. I can't sleep very well because of the anxiety.

Question: What is the possibility of being HIV positive based on this? Thanks Dr for your help because I am so worried

[roostermonkey]

Hello, in this forum your questions are answered by other users and most of us aren't doctors or related to the medical field.

You were exposed to a risk by your unprotected vaginal encounter, if your partner were positive you would have 1 in 2000 chances of getting HIV. Handshaking doesn't pose any risk for HIV at all.

About symptoms, ARS is the first stage of an HIV infection, is the body’s reaction to the infection. Some HIV positive people, but not all of them, reported that around 20 days after their exposure they had fever, sore throat, rash and flu (not cold) like symptoms, all of those came together, or within a few days of difference and lasted for a few weeks. As you see, the same symptoms are present in many other illnesses and not everyone had them, so, we can’t rely on them to diagnose HIV.

As you were exposed to a risk, the only way to know for sure is to get tested. Third and fourth gen Elisa tests are among the most common ones nowadays, according to CDC, any HIV test is conclusive if taken 12 weeks after an exposure, but you can take them before that, 3rd gen will give you an excellent indicator about your status around 6 - 8 weeks after exposure and 4th gen 4 - 6 weeks after exposure. A result given in those times is very unlike to change, but only a doctor, based on your risk level and his experience could advice you to skip the confirmatory test after 12 weeks post exposure.

Hope this helps.