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Can HIV Be Contracted Through Protected Sex?
Question: Hello everybody,
I had a possible exposure. My condom broke during the vaginal intercourse. It could be few minutes I was inside her with broken condom.
I started having ARS like symptoms after around 8 days. I had mild fever, fatigue but no rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Those symptoms continued for around 15 days while I was taking medications for fever. Then there came 2 painful sores came in my nostrils. Doctor prescribed antibodies for them and they went away in 2 days.
23 days post exposure I got tested for hiv rna pcr through a local pathology lab. And the results came negative. I was relieved but 29 days post exposure a swollen lymph node appeared on left side of my neck. I went to the doctor and he advised ultrasound. Ultrasound report mentioned that I have multiple swollen lymph nodes on left side of my neck. The biggest one is 4.1cm in diameter. Lymph nodes are not at all painful.
Now lymph nodes are present for 9 days. And still size is increasing very slowly.
Now I am scared to death for the possibility of hiv. It's been 36 days post exposure. I know tests after 3 months are conclusive. But could you please help and tell me what is the possibility.
I read that false negatives are not common in rna pcr test.
Thanks in advance.
PS: Could you please tell the average size of swollen lymph node during ARS.
And are those swollen lymph nodes present many places in the body or could be at only neck also?
I had a possible exposure. My condom broke during the vaginal intercourse. It could be few minutes I was inside her with broken condom.
I started having ARS like symptoms after around 8 days. I had mild fever, fatigue but no rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Those symptoms continued for around 15 days while I was taking medications for fever. Then there came 2 painful sores came in my nostrils. Doctor prescribed antibodies for them and they went away in 2 days.
23 days post exposure I got tested for hiv rna pcr through a local pathology lab. And the results came negative. I was relieved but 29 days post exposure a swollen lymph node appeared on left side of my neck. I went to the doctor and he advised ultrasound. Ultrasound report mentioned that I have multiple swollen lymph nodes on left side of my neck. The biggest one is 4.1cm in diameter. Lymph nodes are not at all painful.
Now lymph nodes are present for 9 days. And still size is increasing very slowly.
Now I am scared to death for the possibility of hiv. It's been 36 days post exposure. I know tests after 3 months are conclusive. But could you please help and tell me what is the possibility.
I read that false negatives are not common in rna pcr test.
Thanks in advance.
PS: Could you please tell the average size of swollen lymph node during ARS.
And are those swollen lymph nodes present many places in the body or could be at only neck also?
Brief Answer:
Go for repeat test after 3 months.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Welcome to HCM.
You had protected sex but the condom broke while it is inside during the act but the risk of getting HIV from such single exposure is considered very less so don't get worried or anxious about HIV.
Enlarged swollen lymph nodes can be due to many reasons most likely tuberculosis so don't think that it is due to HIV only because HIV RNA test after 23 days is negative which is highly reliable.
Consult your physician and get done x-ray chest or mantoux test, blood investigations and follow the advice for further managemnet. Go for HIV 4th gen test after 3 months to get 100% conclusive result. For any further query get back to me any time.
Thank You
Go for repeat test after 3 months.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Welcome to HCM.
You had protected sex but the condom broke while it is inside during the act but the risk of getting HIV from such single exposure is considered very less so don't get worried or anxious about HIV.
Enlarged swollen lymph nodes can be due to many reasons most likely tuberculosis so don't think that it is due to HIV only because HIV RNA test after 23 days is negative which is highly reliable.
Consult your physician and get done x-ray chest or mantoux test, blood investigations and follow the advice for further managemnet. Go for HIV 4th gen test after 3 months to get 100% conclusive result. For any further query get back to me any time.
Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Thank you Doctor,
I got p24 antigen antibody combo test done at 39th day post exposure. And it came non reactive with index value0.11. It was done at Lal path labs.
Can't we say it is conclusive with negative rna pcr at 23rd day?
Thanks
I got p24 antigen antibody combo test done at 39th day post exposure. And it came non reactive with index value0.11. It was done at Lal path labs.
Can't we say it is conclusive with negative rna pcr at 23rd day?
Thanks
Brief Answer:
It is highly reliable and conclusive.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Welcome back and thanks for follow-up.
Negative P24 antigen antibody combo test at 39 days is considered highly accurate and reliable but still it is mandatory to go for repeat test after 3 months to declare any one 100% free from HIV as per routine HIV guidelines so allay the fear related to HIV and move ahead in life happily with your family.
Thank You
It is highly reliable and conclusive.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Welcome back and thanks for follow-up.
Negative P24 antigen antibody combo test at 39 days is considered highly accurate and reliable but still it is mandatory to go for repeat test after 3 months to declare any one 100% free from HIV as per routine HIV guidelines so allay the fear related to HIV and move ahead in life happily with your family.
Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Hello Doctor,
Thanks for nice reply.
Today I went for Mantoux test for TB screening. Results will be finalized after 48 hours.
I read somewhere that in XXXXXXX many cases of TB are combined with HIV.
I know that they are completely two different diseases.
But my question is that how likely is my case in getting both diseases together?
How many days does HIV take to weaken the immunity? So that it's easy to contact disease like TB.
Thank you
Thanks for nice reply.
Today I went for Mantoux test for TB screening. Results will be finalized after 48 hours.
I read somewhere that in XXXXXXX many cases of TB are combined with HIV.
I know that they are completely two different diseases.
But my question is that how likely is my case in getting both diseases together?
How many days does HIV take to weaken the immunity? So that it's easy to contact disease like TB.
Thank you
Brief Answer:
It is not likely in your case.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Immune system becomes weak within two week or month if HIV infection is present and along with it also increases the chances of getting the disease like tuberculosis but it is unlikely in your case so no need to worry. Be relaxed and move ahead in life.
Thank You
It is not likely in your case.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Immune system becomes weak within two week or month if HIV infection is present and along with it also increases the chances of getting the disease like tuberculosis but it is unlikely in your case so no need to worry. Be relaxed and move ahead in life.
Thank You
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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