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Can I Have A HIV Test While On Prednisone?
Question: I may have been exposed to HIV
I was fighting with my wife and was a bit reckless
I went out and had sex 2 times vaginal sex intercourse with 2 different ladies both of whom are strangers
Not sure of their status
And like an idiot I did not use protection
Anyhow
I was stressed worrying what i may have caught
So stressed I got a cold and doc gave me cough meds and prednisone
I plan to test this fri on the 10th day after exposure
I am having this RNA test which I believe is a genetic test?
Not an antibody test?
But I am not sure
Anyhow
My question is
Can I test while on prednisone?
I read that it can affect the result and give a false negative?????!
I don't want to take any chances wife is pregnant but I am dying worrying about this and can't go on much longer with out knowing so if I can test fri
I pray for good news by Monday
I was fighting with my wife and was a bit reckless
I went out and had sex 2 times vaginal sex intercourse with 2 different ladies both of whom are strangers
Not sure of their status
And like an idiot I did not use protection
Anyhow
I was stressed worrying what i may have caught
So stressed I got a cold and doc gave me cough meds and prednisone
I plan to test this fri on the 10th day after exposure
I am having this RNA test which I believe is a genetic test?
Not an antibody test?
But I am not sure
Anyhow
My question is
Can I test while on prednisone?
I read that it can affect the result and give a false negative?????!
I don't want to take any chances wife is pregnant but I am dying worrying about this and can't go on much longer with out knowing so if I can test fri
I pray for good news by Monday
Brief Answer:
RNA Qualitative PCR or DNA PCR is preferable 3 weeks after exposure.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
All sex workers are not HIV positive. All exposure are not infectious. 30-40% Spouses of HIV positive individuals remain HIV negative in spite of their regular sex with their infected contacts for years and they are called as sero-discordant couple. So not to worry much.
Regarding the HIV test, PCR tests are antigen detecting tests (detects the presence of the infection earlier) and tests detect antibodies against HIV (ELISA, Rapid) will become reactive only after the window period in the presence of HIV infection (that is after 12 weeks after the exposure).
RNA PCR are two types: Qualitative and quantitative PCR tests. Normally the quantitative test will be available with many labs which will be useful to assess the prognosis of the disease and not to the purpose of diagnosis. Only DNA PCR and Qualitative RNA PCR are useful for diagnosis of HIV. PCR test can diagnose the presence of HIV infection as early as one week after the exposure. But becomes more reliable after 3-4 weeks after the exposure.
Dr S.Murugan
RNA Qualitative PCR or DNA PCR is preferable 3 weeks after exposure.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
All sex workers are not HIV positive. All exposure are not infectious. 30-40% Spouses of HIV positive individuals remain HIV negative in spite of their regular sex with their infected contacts for years and they are called as sero-discordant couple. So not to worry much.
Regarding the HIV test, PCR tests are antigen detecting tests (detects the presence of the infection earlier) and tests detect antibodies against HIV (ELISA, Rapid) will become reactive only after the window period in the presence of HIV infection (that is after 12 weeks after the exposure).
RNA PCR are two types: Qualitative and quantitative PCR tests. Normally the quantitative test will be available with many labs which will be useful to assess the prognosis of the disease and not to the purpose of diagnosis. Only DNA PCR and Qualitative RNA PCR are useful for diagnosis of HIV. PCR test can diagnose the presence of HIV infection as early as one week after the exposure. But becomes more reliable after 3-4 weeks after the exposure.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Thank you dr
I do feel some relief
I was really panicking
I am married and i never used lrotection with my wife
I havent said anything to her as of yet
But she is pressuring me to have sex every now and then and i keep making excuses because she is pregnant i dont want to infect the baby if i dod have anything
I dont knkw what the odds are kf catching anything
One lady was literally 10'seconds the other lady was like 2 times for 5 minutes
No protection
But i have no cuts nor did they seem to have any marks or cuts
Bith very affluent if it matters
Wish i knew some odds
Anyhow
I dont want to wait much longer
The advertisement from the test center reads
As follows:
What are the differences between the HIV RNA test and the HIV 4th Generation Antibody test?
The HIV RNA test can detect HIV sooner than any other HIV test; as early as 9-11 days after exposure. The HIV 4th Generation Antibody test can detect HIV 2-3 weeks after exposure. The HIV RNA test detects the HIV virus in the blood by seeking out its genetic material (RNA), whereas the HIV 4th Generation Antibody test detects HIV antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are proteins created by the body's immune system to try to destroy foreign substances like bacteria or viruses, in this case HIV. Antigens are the foreign substances that cause an immune response-- the HIV Antibody test detects HIV p24 antigens.
So i was going to do the 9-11 day test this fri 10 days later they say somewhere in there results are like 99 percent accurate
At the 9-11 day mark
I guess the questikn is
Does the corticosteroid prednisone which inam taking for my cold cause my immune system to react in a way that my give a false negative
I heard the pill surpress your immune system a bit
And if the test was looking for my immune system response it would not be normal
But again i was planning the r n a test so am I correct in assuming this test does not rely on antibodies ?
Its the more expensive $200 dollar one as opposed to some of these other tests which are half the price
Thanks
I do feel some relief
I was really panicking
I am married and i never used lrotection with my wife
I havent said anything to her as of yet
But she is pressuring me to have sex every now and then and i keep making excuses because she is pregnant i dont want to infect the baby if i dod have anything
I dont knkw what the odds are kf catching anything
One lady was literally 10'seconds the other lady was like 2 times for 5 minutes
No protection
But i have no cuts nor did they seem to have any marks or cuts
Bith very affluent if it matters
Wish i knew some odds
Anyhow
I dont want to wait much longer
The advertisement from the test center reads
As follows:
What are the differences between the HIV RNA test and the HIV 4th Generation Antibody test?
The HIV RNA test can detect HIV sooner than any other HIV test; as early as 9-11 days after exposure. The HIV 4th Generation Antibody test can detect HIV 2-3 weeks after exposure. The HIV RNA test detects the HIV virus in the blood by seeking out its genetic material (RNA), whereas the HIV 4th Generation Antibody test detects HIV antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are proteins created by the body's immune system to try to destroy foreign substances like bacteria or viruses, in this case HIV. Antigens are the foreign substances that cause an immune response-- the HIV Antibody test detects HIV p24 antigens.
So i was going to do the 9-11 day test this fri 10 days later they say somewhere in there results are like 99 percent accurate
At the 9-11 day mark
I guess the questikn is
Does the corticosteroid prednisone which inam taking for my cold cause my immune system to react in a way that my give a false negative
I heard the pill surpress your immune system a bit
And if the test was looking for my immune system response it would not be normal
But again i was planning the r n a test so am I correct in assuming this test does not rely on antibodies ?
Its the more expensive $200 dollar one as opposed to some of these other tests which are half the price
Thanks
Brief Answer:
HIV RNA PCR can detect only HIV 1 material and not HIV 2.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
HIV RNA Qualitative test can detect the HIV virus in the blood as early as 7 days. In some individual due to low genetic material it may be able to be detected a little delayed, so the reliability becomes 99% only after 3 weeks.
HIV RNA PCR can detect only HIV 1 genetic material and not HIV 2 which is a very rare possibility (less than 0.5%), whereas the 4th generation test and other antibody test can rule out both HIV 1 and 2 by detecting the antibodies but only after the window period. HIV 2 RNA PCR available separately on demand with certain laboratories.
Dr S.Murugan
HIV RNA PCR can detect only HIV 1 material and not HIV 2.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
HIV RNA Qualitative test can detect the HIV virus in the blood as early as 7 days. In some individual due to low genetic material it may be able to be detected a little delayed, so the reliability becomes 99% only after 3 weeks.
HIV RNA PCR can detect only HIV 1 genetic material and not HIV 2 which is a very rare possibility (less than 0.5%), whereas the 4th generation test and other antibody test can rule out both HIV 1 and 2 by detecting the antibodies but only after the window period. HIV 2 RNA PCR available separately on demand with certain laboratories.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok last question Dr
Is will the pill corticosteroids prednisone affect the result and give a false negative ?
Is will the pill corticosteroids prednisone affect the result and give a false negative ?
Brief Answer:
Prednisolone will affect antibody detecting tests, not antigen based tests
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back to HCM.
Tablet Prednisolone is not indicated for common cold. Why it had been prescribed to you?
How long you are on PREDNISOLONE? Tablet Prednisolone can interfere the formation of antibodies against HIV and affect test report of Antibody based tests by delaying the window period further, but it will not affect the interpretation of PCR tests.
Dr S.Murugan
Prednisolone will affect antibody detecting tests, not antigen based tests
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back to HCM.
Tablet Prednisolone is not indicated for common cold. Why it had been prescribed to you?
How long you are on PREDNISOLONE? Tablet Prednisolone can interfere the formation of antibodies against HIV and affect test report of Antibody based tests by delaying the window period further, but it will not affect the interpretation of PCR tests.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The stat mes place said it coukd be bronchitus so he gave ne that and a cough med
3 pils the first day then 1 pill a day for 6 days
So i am on for a few days now
So when i test
I will be taking the pills
But its an RNA test so i assume
That this is the one that doesnt rely on antibodies therefor inshoukd be ok to test
Just need tour confirmation?
3 pils the first day then 1 pill a day for 6 days
So i am on for a few days now
So when i test
I will be taking the pills
But its an RNA test so i assume
That this is the one that doesnt rely on antibodies therefor inshoukd be ok to test
Just need tour confirmation?
Brief Answer:
Prednisolone will not affect the outcome of RNA PCR TEST report.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Prednisolone treatment will not affect the RNA PCR results.
It will interfere with only the antibody formation not with antigen detection.
Dr S XXXXXXX
Prednisolone will not affect the outcome of RNA PCR TEST report.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Prednisolone treatment will not affect the RNA PCR results.
It will interfere with only the antibody formation not with antigen detection.
Dr S XXXXXXX
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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