worried part 2 | AIDS Vancouver

worried part 2

Originally Posted:

Monday, June 25, 2012

Tagged With:

4th Generation/DUO test

HIV Transmission

Question:

thx for anwer my quetions.....you said "When considering this activity alone, testing is not essential due to it being a negligible risk, however seeing that you are sexually active, testing is always a valuable practice to consider as it is the only way to find out one’s HIV status"
but I had this the first time sex intercourse that is receiving oral,I have a test after seven days with duo test and non reactive...But i am not sure,When the fastest time can detect an antigen? my fear grow after four days i feel flu but no fever until this days..plz help me thx so much.

Answer:

Hello, and thank you for choosing AIDS Vancouver as your source for HIV/AIDS related information.

Receiving oral sex is considered a negligible risk for acquiring HIV; that is, while it's possible in theory, there have been no reported cases of anyone acquiring HIV in this way. In fact, there is an enzyme in saliva that inhibits the HIV virus from entering the blood stream, further reducing the risk of acquiring HIV through unprotected oral sex.

For the 4th Generation DUO test, P24 protein antigens are detectable immediately after infection and only until a person's body begins producing antibodies. Your negative test results one week after the activity are a good indication that you are HIV-negative; however, the DUO test is not considered conclusive until 6 weeks (according to most medical professionals).

Our HIV Testing Guidelines here in Vancouver discuss antibody based testing only, and encourage individuals to re-test at 12 weeks. You may decide to re-test at that time however a negative at 6 weeks with a DUO test is highly unlikely to change.

In regards to symptoms, HIV tends to mirror the symptoms of countless other infections; for this reason, relying on symptoms alone to determine your HIV status is not recommended. Someone who has acquired HIV may get a strong flu-like symptoms that only last a for a few days 2-6 weeks after exposure; others experience no symptoms at all. Getting tested is the only way to know your HIV status & so it is great to hear that you did so. Your test results are accurate and a good indication of your status. If the only activity you are worried about is receiving oral sex, then further testing is not needed.

I hope I've addressed your concerns. If you have any other questions, send us another e-mail or give us a call.

In Health,
Lauren
AIDS Vancouver Helpline Volunteer
E-mail: helpline@aidsvancouver.org
Phone (Mon-Fri 9-4pm): (604) 696-4666
Web: www.aidsvancouver.org/helpline

Comments

worried part 3

Today marks exactly two weeks after the exposed ... i have more tests with duo test..and non reactive.."you said If the only activity you are worried about is receiving oral sex, then further testing is not needed."are you sure I don't need to test more??If i were to infected whether in two weeks an antigen can be detected ??
excuse me … I am very worried.thx

Helpline1's picture

Hi there,

Receiving oral sex has a negligible risk of contracting HIV. Like Lauren mentioned above, this activity theoretically shares some risk of HIV transmission. In theory, receiving oral sex has the possibility to contract HIV because it involves the exchange of body fluids. However, in reality, we have not yet found any case. There are multiple studies suggest that giving/receiving oral sex between serodiscordant couples (couple in which one partner has HIV and the other does not) is not a channel of transmission. None of them have contracted with HIV through unprotected oral sex. In your situation, further testing is unnecessary. It is healthy to update your HIV/STD status after a possible exposure. But it would be unnecessary to keep on testing after a negligible exposure.

Again, your DUO test result is already a good indicator that there is no HIV in your body, because it is very sensitive to a small amount of P24 antigen.

I am sorry to hear that you are having a hard time worrying about your status. But combining the fact that receiving oral sex has no actual risk of HIV transmission and the fact that your test result is negative, another HIV test in 2 weeks is going to be negative and therefore unnecessary.

For more information about oral sex and HIV transmission, you can visit the following section in Public Health Agency of Canada, as it is a reliable resource:

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/epiu-aepi/epi_update_may_04/13-eng.php

If you still have any concern, please feel free to contact us. Maybe we can talk about it.

In Health,

Tina

AIDS Vancouver Helpline Volunteer

E-mail: helpline@aidsvancouver.org

Phone (Mon-Fri 9-4pm): (604) 696-4666

Web: www.aidsvancouver.org/helpline

Add new comment

Disclaimer

The AIDS Vancouver Helpline is a volunteer-driven information, referral and support service related to HIV and sexual health. Volunteers are trained in active listening, HIV and sexual health information, and local resources and services. Volunteers are not doctors, nurses, or other licensed professionals. Volunteers do not give advice, and strive to provide service-users with adequate information and appropriate referrals.

Helpline volunteers uphold the agency’s confidentiality and privacy policies. Your calls, forum posts, and emails are anonymous. We welcome you to use a pseudonym or “fake name” when using Helpline services. We will not ask for or track your personal information. To ensure that the Helpline program is providing quality services, the Helpline Coordinator regularly monitors online content (forum posts and emails) and supervises volunteers who are receiving calls.

The Helpline Program should not be used in replacement of medical examination, diagnosis, advice counseling or follow-up care. We strongly recommend routine testing (HIV and STI tests) and discussing your healthcare directly with a physician.

We would love to hear from you! If you have feedback or questions related to the operations of the Helpline, please contact David at helpline@aidsvancouver.org or by calling 604.696.4666.