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Can HIV Be Contracted Through Unprotected Vaginal Intercourse?
Question: Hello doctor
I had an unprotected vaginal intercourse with a girl on XXXXXXX 6th ! First unprotected intercourse ! The girl had multiple partners previously but claims to be clean. She got tested with a rapid hiv1/2 antibody test and tested negative. Her last unrpotected sex was on 15th feb( but im not sure how accurate is that )
I tested on 16th XXXXXXX (10th day post exposure) with hiv rna qualitative test and got negative.
I tested on 30th june( 24th day post exposure )
With the rapid hiv1/2 antivody test and got negative too .
1) are there chances i can still be infected ??
2) how accurate are the tests i have taken at the respective time frames especially the hiv rna test at 10 days since i know the antibody test takes time.
Thank you
I had an unprotected vaginal intercourse with a girl on XXXXXXX 6th ! First unprotected intercourse ! The girl had multiple partners previously but claims to be clean. She got tested with a rapid hiv1/2 antibody test and tested negative. Her last unrpotected sex was on 15th feb( but im not sure how accurate is that )
I tested on 16th XXXXXXX (10th day post exposure) with hiv rna qualitative test and got negative.
I tested on 30th june( 24th day post exposure )
With the rapid hiv1/2 antivody test and got negative too .
1) are there chances i can still be infected ??
2) how accurate are the tests i have taken at the respective time frames especially the hiv rna test at 10 days since i know the antibody test takes time.
Thank you
Brief Answer:
HIV Antibody test after 12 weeks would be more reliable to rule out 1&2
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
1.You had mentioned that the girl had her last exposure on 15th February. But not mentioned that how many days after her contact she had her Rapid HIV test which was nonreactive. If it was 12 weeks after her contact and if we are taking her words as absolute, then your HIV risk is almost nil.
If her test had been done well within the window period or if she had any recent exposure we can not rely her words only your test results would assure you.
2. HIV RNA Qualitative test is a highly reliable and it detects antigen (viral RNA),not the antibodies. Antigen can be detected as early as 1 week after the infection. But becomes more conclusive only after 4 weeks after the high risk contact. Moreover HIV RNA test only rule out HIV 1 infection alone unless it is mentioned that it also could be sensitive against HIV 2 infection.
3.NON REACTIVE HIV 1/2 antibody test on 24th day also can not be an absolute one as it was well within window period.
If you want a more reliable result repeat the test after 12 weeks after the contact.
Dr S.Murugan
HIV Antibody test after 12 weeks would be more reliable to rule out 1&2
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
1.You had mentioned that the girl had her last exposure on 15th February. But not mentioned that how many days after her contact she had her Rapid HIV test which was nonreactive. If it was 12 weeks after her contact and if we are taking her words as absolute, then your HIV risk is almost nil.
If her test had been done well within the window period or if she had any recent exposure we can not rely her words only your test results would assure you.
2. HIV RNA Qualitative test is a highly reliable and it detects antigen (viral RNA),not the antibodies. Antigen can be detected as early as 1 week after the infection. But becomes more conclusive only after 4 weeks after the high risk contact. Moreover HIV RNA test only rule out HIV 1 infection alone unless it is mentioned that it also could be sensitive against HIV 2 infection.
3.NON REACTIVE HIV 1/2 antibody test on 24th day also can not be an absolute one as it was well within window period.
If you want a more reliable result repeat the test after 12 weeks after the contact.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
As per her results,HIV risk is unlikely through this contact.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As she had tested 3 months after her last exposure ( if her statement is reliable), the nonreactive antibody test assured that she is free from HIV 1 and 2. So you are unlikely to have any HIV infection.
Anyhow rule out other STDs by other tests.
HIV duo after a month would rule out HIV 1 and not HIV 2 as the antigen part of the test covers only HIV 1 and the antibody part of the test that covers both HIV 1 and 2 became reliable only after the window period,
RNA PCR Qualitative by 10 days can not be taken as 100% reliable.
Dr S.Murugan
As per her results,HIV risk is unlikely through this contact.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As she had tested 3 months after her last exposure ( if her statement is reliable), the nonreactive antibody test assured that she is free from HIV 1 and 2. So you are unlikely to have any HIV infection.
Anyhow rule out other STDs by other tests.
HIV duo after a month would rule out HIV 1 and not HIV 2 as the antigen part of the test covers only HIV 1 and the antibody part of the test that covers both HIV 1 and 2 became reliable only after the window period,
RNA PCR Qualitative by 10 days can not be taken as 100% reliable.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
Accuracy of the test is 100% by 4 weeks.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
HIV RNA qualitative test is a very reliable and specific test. There is no doubt. Similarly antigen can be detected as early as 1 week of infection. But when the antigen quantity was very less with some individuals the test would not pick up the same. By 4 weeks the antigen value would reach a maximum value and unmistakably could be identified and no chance for a false negative result. That is what it meant.
I hope you got the point.
DR S.Murugan
Accuracy of the test is 100% by 4 weeks.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
HIV RNA qualitative test is a very reliable and specific test. There is no doubt. Similarly antigen can be detected as early as 1 week of infection. But when the antigen quantity was very less with some individuals the test would not pick up the same. By 4 weeks the antigen value would reach a maximum value and unmistakably could be identified and no chance for a false negative result. That is what it meant.
I hope you got the point.
DR S.Murugan
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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