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Avatar universal

Rare type!?

Hello,

Today,when looking at the medhelp archives, i saw a guy who said that there was a rare type of HIV that could not be DETECTED by the HIV antibody test!!!  0MG , i flipped! The fact that i could get tested after 3 months and know my status was driving me this whole month. Is this true that there is a rare type/strain of HIV that cannot be detected ? I really need your responses. Any scientific data will help a lot. Is it possible that i be infected with HIV and not know about it at all?? This is really killing me.

Really worried guy.
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Avatar universal
As you were told before there are no rare strains that cannot be detected.

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Avatar universal
Thank you. But the point is ,should i be concerned? Is a standard antibody test at 3 months conclusive? If it's negative, how can i be sure that i've not been infected with this rare HIV strain that cannot be detected?
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Avatar universal
Hi Wassup1234, now in my opinion the reason we know that group N and P exist is because somebody tested positive on a standard antibody test and subsequent genotype testing found the virus was distinct from known groups. However, because there are so few samples of N and P blood then the current tests can't be properly evaluated for their sensitivity in detecting these strains. So that's why the tests can detected them but, they can't state that they can.
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Avatar universal
sorry, i don't get you. You mean antibodies for N and P type can't be detected by the standard antibody test?
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Avatar universal
They aren't. Just because there is a rare subtype doesn't mean antibodies can't be detected as in N,P both were detected with the ELISA test.
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Avatar universal
A little bit more info could help. How sure are you teak? Are u 100% sure?
So a negative HIV 1 and 2 test at 3 months is conclusive ? Why is it that many people were talking about that rare strain of HIV?
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Avatar universal
No and move along.
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