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How Accurate Are The HIV Test Results?
Question: how accurate is my hiv test result?
Hello
I have a question and I would appreciate if someone can help me
Im a dentist and last week I was working on a patient who denied any medical problems. While suturing suddenly he was in pain and he turned his face away and the suture needle 3-0 stick my point finger. I took out my glove and i pressed my finger and i saw one blood drop coming out. I washed the area with soap and water. I immediately informed the ER staff and they did rapid Hiv test on both of us. All tests were negative and I need to go for 6 and 12 weeks follow up
The thing that is bothering me is that based on oraquick guidelines, you should put oral liquid samples in the solution in less than 20 min however, after they took both of our samples in ER, they put in lab bag and sent it to lab for testing. I checked the report and basically the lab got the samples after 60 min and probably it also took them little bit more time to work on it . I was wondering how this can affect the negative result im so scared now
Thank you
Hello
I have a question and I would appreciate if someone can help me
Im a dentist and last week I was working on a patient who denied any medical problems. While suturing suddenly he was in pain and he turned his face away and the suture needle 3-0 stick my point finger. I took out my glove and i pressed my finger and i saw one blood drop coming out. I washed the area with soap and water. I immediately informed the ER staff and they did rapid Hiv test on both of us. All tests were negative and I need to go for 6 and 12 weeks follow up
The thing that is bothering me is that based on oraquick guidelines, you should put oral liquid samples in the solution in less than 20 min however, after they took both of our samples in ER, they put in lab bag and sent it to lab for testing. I checked the report and basically the lab got the samples after 60 min and probably it also took them little bit more time to work on it . I was wondering how this can affect the negative result im so scared now
Thank you
Brief Answer:
OraQuick test a homebased test.HIV status within windowperiod not ruled out
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
As per CDC XXXXXXX HIV transmission risk is around 23/10000 exposures. (https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/estimates/riskbehaviors.html). So not to worry much.
You had your rapid test nonreactive for both for you and the source patient. But you had not mentioned whether this test was done on your blood or oraquick on your saliva as oraquick was not necessarily to be sent to a laboratory, as it is primarily a Home based test.
The non reactive test for you indicates that you are free from HIV with regards to your sexual activities in the past (prior to 3 months). That is all, not indicating the risk of present needle stick injury as you are well within window period. Similarly the nonreactive test of your patient indicates that he is free from HIV with regards to his activities prior to 3 months and could not attribute to his recent activities.
For Oraquick test the samples have to put in the test tube within 20 minutes as per the recommendation. So it had to be done in home or office premises and not necessary to send the samples to lab. Sometimes if a transport kit is provided by the the lab which can preserve the sample for hours, it may be possible to maintain the sample and could be transported to laboratory. So you have to verify the nature of the bag in which it was sent to laboratory.
Dr S.Murugan
OraQuick test a homebased test.HIV status within windowperiod not ruled out
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
As per CDC XXXXXXX HIV transmission risk is around 23/10000 exposures. (https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/estimates/riskbehaviors.html). So not to worry much.
You had your rapid test nonreactive for both for you and the source patient. But you had not mentioned whether this test was done on your blood or oraquick on your saliva as oraquick was not necessarily to be sent to a laboratory, as it is primarily a Home based test.
The non reactive test for you indicates that you are free from HIV with regards to your sexual activities in the past (prior to 3 months). That is all, not indicating the risk of present needle stick injury as you are well within window period. Similarly the nonreactive test of your patient indicates that he is free from HIV with regards to his activities prior to 3 months and could not attribute to his recent activities.
For Oraquick test the samples have to put in the test tube within 20 minutes as per the recommendation. So it had to be done in home or office premises and not necessary to send the samples to lab. Sometimes if a transport kit is provided by the the lab which can preserve the sample for hours, it may be possible to maintain the sample and could be transported to laboratory. So you have to verify the nature of the bag in which it was sent to laboratory.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Hello Dr
Thanks or your quick response. they used oraquick advanced kit in the emergency department. as far as transportation, they took patients oral fluid, put it sample transportation bag with bio hazard sign on it. they collected the sample around 11 pm, the lab got the sample around 11:48 pm and the last result update time was 12:25 am. this was the report time I saw based on the lab report. As I talked to oraquick costumer support ,they said the result is invalid.
My concern is that our health department did not give me prophylaxis due to the negative results. I wish they could do blood work on source patient but they did not. They still believe they test is done in proper manner despite the fact that I explained to them what oraquick support have told me on the phone.
I have another appointment for 6 weeks follow up. do you recommend me to at least to RNA test for initial testing? I have no problem with fees as long as the result is reliable
Thanks or your quick response. they used oraquick advanced kit in the emergency department. as far as transportation, they took patients oral fluid, put it sample transportation bag with bio hazard sign on it. they collected the sample around 11 pm, the lab got the sample around 11:48 pm and the last result update time was 12:25 am. this was the report time I saw based on the lab report. As I talked to oraquick costumer support ,they said the result is invalid.
My concern is that our health department did not give me prophylaxis due to the negative results. I wish they could do blood work on source patient but they did not. They still believe they test is done in proper manner despite the fact that I explained to them what oraquick support have told me on the phone.
I have another appointment for 6 weeks follow up. do you recommend me to at least to RNA test for initial testing? I have no problem with fees as long as the result is reliable
Brief Answer:
Qualitative RNA PCR is reliable
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
I can understand your concern.
As long as I don't know about the standard of the transportation bag, they had used, I can not extend more inputs on the matter.
If you are disturbed mentally very much, you can very well take a DNA PCR or Qualitative RNA PCR test for HIV. Even though it can detect the presence of HIV as early as 7 days, but considered as conclusive by 3-4 weeks. So have the test 3 weeks after.
Dr S Murugan
Qualitative RNA PCR is reliable
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
I can understand your concern.
As long as I don't know about the standard of the transportation bag, they had used, I can not extend more inputs on the matter.
If you are disturbed mentally very much, you can very well take a DNA PCR or Qualitative RNA PCR test for HIV. Even though it can detect the presence of HIV as early as 7 days, but considered as conclusive by 3-4 weeks. So have the test 3 weeks after.
Dr S Murugan
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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