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Can HIV Be Contracted Through Unprotected Sex?

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Posted on Mon, 13 Jul 2015
Question:
i had unprotected vaginal intercourse with a girl about 18 days back. this was my first unprotected intercourse. the girl has had many partners before though she claims she is clean. she took an hiv test 3 days after we had sex just for my sake and the hiv test came out negative. it was the rapid hiv1/2 antibody test. i am uncircumcised and really freaking out.no symptoms yet except for super anxiety!!i took the HIV rna test on day 10 post exposure and it came out to be negative. what are my chances of getting hiv from this encounter ?and how much can I rely on my HIV rna test ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Jangid (28 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
If HIV RNA test 10 days post exposure is negative than the chances are less

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,

Welcome to HCM.

Usually the chances of getting HIV from unprotected vaginal intercourse are very high but as you had told that the girl was clean and your HIV RNA test 10 days post exposure is also negative then the chances are negligible.

You can rely on HIV RNA test as it is an antigen detection test which is conclusive even in earlier period post exposure by 2-3 weeks. So I will advice you to go for repeat testing after 1 month with HIV RNA test to be 100% conclusive about your status.

At present be relaxed and no need to be so anxious as you are at low risk.

Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Jangid (15 minutes later)
I was thinking about taking the DUO test at 28 days post exposure ! Should i also take the hiv rna test along with it ?? I read that female to male transmission in a one of exposure is difficult but since im not circimcised i feel more anxious! And if you had to put a number to the accuracy of the hiv rna test at this time frame what would it be at 10 days?
Thank you in advance
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Jangid (16 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
If you are going for the DUO (Ag+Ab) test then no need to go for HIV RNA.

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

If you are going for the DUO test that looks for antibodies for HIV-1 and HIV-2 and also looks for the evidence of P24 antigen then no need to go for HIV RNA as the test is likely to detect 95% of actual infection at 4 weeks post exposure.

As far as the accuracy of HIV RNA test on 10th day post exposure is considered it is nearly about 99% so you need not to worry much.

Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Jangid (20 minutes later)
One more question doc! Im sorry this is a result of alot of reading on the internet!
The rna test would not detect anything hypothetically if i were to be in the eclipse phase right ? Is it common for false negatives to occur at 10 days in this particular test ?
Thank you again
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Jangid (46 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
No the possibility of false negative result with HIV RNA is nil or very low

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

HIV RNA can detect HIV in the presence of infection even if you are in eclipse phase as early as 2 weeks post exposure.

About the possibility of false negative result, it is very remote or nil with HIV RNA test.

Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Jangid (8 hours later)
Sir i think i didnt get through to you with my previous question !
I meant to ask my negative result on 10 days , how likely is it to change ? Is the hiv rna test known to show results consistently at 10 days which are actual results ? Or it is subject to change keeping in mind the viral load isnt high enough ? Does the 99% accuracy you say hold true at 10 days ? Or its only much later ? Like after 2-3 weeks ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Jangid (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
The possibility of HIV RNA test result to change is negligible or very less

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

The HIV RNA test result at 10 days is definitely actual and the possibility of it to change after being negative is negligible or very less.

As far as accuracy of the test at 10 days is concerned, it is also actually 99% so don't worry much and move ahead in life.

Thank You
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Jangid (34 hours later)
Okay doc!
I dunno why am i still confused ! I am getting mixed reviews about the validity of my test at 10 days post exposure ! Some people say its too soon and some people say its accurate (you included) . I understand it is a very sensitive test and that chances of false negatives are probably less but there are no uniform data available (atleast i couldnt find any where it said when ideally should the test be taken) ! Anxiety is causing havoc. I will end thid thread soon ! Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Jangid (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
HIV RNA test is definitely conclusive and you can go for it after 2 weeks.

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

HIV RNA test is definitely conclusive at 10 days post exposure with accuracy of 99% so you can trust on it.

I agree that no uniform data are available about when to perform the HIV RNA test ideally. You can go for it anytime but as I had already told earlier after 4 weeks post exposure HI RNA test is 100% conclusive.

Thank You
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sunil Jangid

HIV AIDS Specialist

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 2017 Questions

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Can HIV Be Contracted Through Unprotected Sex?

Brief Answer: If HIV RNA test 10 days post exposure is negative than the chances are less Detailed Answer: Dear XXXX, Welcome to HCM. Usually the chances of getting HIV from unprotected vaginal intercourse are very high but as you had told that the girl was clean and your HIV RNA test 10 days post exposure is also negative then the chances are negligible. You can rely on HIV RNA test as it is an antigen detection test which is conclusive even in earlier period post exposure by 2-3 weeks. So I will advice you to go for repeat testing after 1 month with HIV RNA test to be 100% conclusive about your status. At present be relaxed and no need to be so anxious as you are at low risk. Thank You