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HIV DNA PCR test conclusive?
Hi Doctor,
I live in the USA and recently had a sexual encounter with a female of which i am concerned.
I have been experiencing flu-like symptoms including a sore throat, fatigue, and muscle pains.
At 2 weeks after the possible infection, i was concerned and got tested with the HIV-DNA by PCR and the HIV EIA tests through LabCorp which came back as Negative (HIV-1 DNA not detected) and Non reactive (with an Abs-Index value of <1.00)
Later, I learned about the so called "window period" for the virus and so i retested at 6 weeks after the possible infection date with the same test results. It is now 8 weeks after the incident and i want to move on with my life. However, i am still really concerned about the validity of these tests. The labs that i have went through say that the DNA PCR test is completely conclusive after 28 days, but i have received conflicting information from various other sources.
My question how conclusive the DNA PCR test truly is at 6 weeks and whether or not i should be retested again at a later date. Am i continuing to worry myself for no reason?
Thanks, your professional advice would be greatly appreciated.
I live in the USA and recently had a sexual encounter with a female of which i am concerned.
I have been experiencing flu-like symptoms including a sore throat, fatigue, and muscle pains.
At 2 weeks after the possible infection, i was concerned and got tested with the HIV-DNA by PCR and the HIV EIA tests through LabCorp which came back as Negative (HIV-1 DNA not detected) and Non reactive (with an Abs-Index value of <1.00)
Later, I learned about the so called "window period" for the virus and so i retested at 6 weeks after the possible infection date with the same test results. It is now 8 weeks after the incident and i want to move on with my life. However, i am still really concerned about the validity of these tests. The labs that i have went through say that the DNA PCR test is completely conclusive after 28 days, but i have received conflicting information from various other sources.
My question how conclusive the DNA PCR test truly is at 6 weeks and whether or not i should be retested again at a later date. Am i continuing to worry myself for no reason?
Thanks, your professional advice would be greatly appreciated.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
I beleive that you can consider your negative test reuslt at 6 weeks fully conclusive. This test in particular (PCR DNA HIV-1) is very reliable after only 10 days of any exposure, around 94%, reacing a reliability of over 99.9% after 4 weeks. Therefore you can relax as you are HIV negative. I do not think that you need to be tested. Most of your symptoms are very likely to be related to anxiety.
Best wishes,
Dr José
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our forum.
I beleive that you can consider your negative test reuslt at 6 weeks fully conclusive. This test in particular (PCR DNA HIV-1) is very reliable after only 10 days of any exposure, around 94%, reacing a reliability of over 99.9% after 4 weeks. Therefore you can relax as you are HIV negative. I do not think that you need to be tested. Most of your symptoms are very likely to be related to anxiety.
Best wishes,
Dr José
A related discussion, HIV Precution was started.
A related discussion, pcr hiv was started.
Also Dr.,
in addition to the symptoms mentioned above, i have also began to notice small red sores on the side of my tongue. They are not very painful, and i have not noticed any oral thrush. I am thinking that most of these symptoms, including the muscle pain, fatigue, and sores on the tongue could be attributed to stress as i have been killing myself with worry for the past several weeks/ months. Could the sores on the tongue possibly be a flare up of HSV-1 (which i have had since a child) due to the stress?
All this to say, i guess that my question remains the same: are my previous tests conclusive that i do not have HIV or should i get retested at a later date, and if so when?
in addition to the symptoms mentioned above, i have also began to notice small red sores on the side of my tongue. They are not very painful, and i have not noticed any oral thrush. I am thinking that most of these symptoms, including the muscle pain, fatigue, and sores on the tongue could be attributed to stress as i have been killing myself with worry for the past several weeks/ months. Could the sores on the tongue possibly be a flare up of HSV-1 (which i have had since a child) due to the stress?
All this to say, i guess that my question remains the same: are my previous tests conclusive that i do not have HIV or should i get retested at a later date, and if so when?
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