Should I get retested after a negative RNA test at 15 days post possible exposure?

[cam599]

Heterosexual male here. I had unprotected vaginal sex with a girl I had been speaking to for a while, and before hand we talked about it and she said she had been tested and was negative. The day after, I woke up with a sinus infection and had heaps of mucus and gunk coming out of my nose and mouth. I also had a few slight fever days and then made the mistake of googling symptoms and letting my mind run wild. I read about HIV and instantly lost my appetite for a few days and resolved to get tested. At 15 days post event I took an RNA Qualitative test because I was willing to pay for peace of mind. The results came back negative, and instantly most of my perceived symptoms went away. Now, two weeks later, I still have sinus pressure, a bit of white stuff on the very back of my tongue, and pressure in my eyes and forehead. Could this be ARS or just a continued cold/allergies/sinus issue? I felt good about my test result, but have read more online that RNA tests cannot be considered conclusive and am worried I may have had a false negative and will need to take an antibody test now to reconfirm. I have also read that the probability of getting HIV from a positive woman in one unprotected vaginal intercourse is anywhere from 1/2000 to 1/1000, and that RNA tests at 14 days can be anywhere from 80% to 99% conclusive. Considering these numbers, is it warranted to continue to worry and possibly retest? Or is it more likely my current sinus and eye pressure issues are something else and that I can trust my RNA results and move on? The anxiety from all of this is really miserable.

[mike_no]

ARS doesn't occur at the timeframe you described. RNA PCR was taken at a time when an HIV-1 infection can be ruled out by most experts because at 14 days, your result should have been 'detected' if the virus was actually transmitted, 7-14 days post transmission is when the body exhibits anti-retroviral syndrome.

RNA NAT is a very sensitive test and an undetected result is highly indicative of your final HIV antibody test, which can be taken at 28 days with a IV Gen. I foresee a negative. Please back up your result with the above stated test.

[GuitarRox]

I agree with the fact that you'd not bang out symptoms the day after an exposure.  In fact, symptoms are never used to diagnose HIV even down the road because that is so unreliable. We all get sinus issues from time to time and sick from the germs we encounter in life. There is less than a 2 percent chance of transmission from a one time unprotected intercourse episode.  The 15 day negative RNAis very encouraging and really probably will not change.  But also agree to wait until 28 days or beyond and take a 4th generation DUO test to confirm.

[Chima7]

You'd never get ARS symptoms the day after exposure. It doesn't work that way. Not to mention that sinus and stuffy nose type stuff is not even close to what someone would experience of they were infected. It's currently cold and flu season and it sounds like you need to learn how to wash your hands more often to avoid those. It's highly unlikely that your partner has HIV so the RNA test is a huge waste of money. You're better off waiting to take a 4th generation duo test anytime 28 days or later after the incident. It will most likely be negative and very little chance that it would be positive.

[Unknown_108]

No one has tested positive from a  single unprotected vaginal exposure in this forum in the last 10 years. Im sure you ll be negative.

[Unknown_108]

Those sinuses are from something else.
The rna is highly encouraging but yes it isnt conclusive. Get a 4th gen test at 4 weeks from your exposure. Im sure it ll be negative too
.