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Are Night Sweats A Symptom Of HIV?
Posted on
Mon, 9 Nov 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 9 Nov 2015
Answered on
Tue, 1 Dec 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : Hello there,
I recently had unprotected receptive vaginal sex with someone of unknown status 8 weeks ago. I began having night sweats (no fever) 9 days later and began worrying so I took a PCR Qualitative RNA test at day 17 which came back negative. Ive heard conflicting things that this wasnt long enough to wait and that I should have waited until atleast day 21. Help, Im incredibly worried.
I recently had unprotected receptive vaginal sex with someone of unknown status 8 weeks ago. I began having night sweats (no fever) 9 days later and began worrying so I took a PCR Qualitative RNA test at day 17 which came back negative. Ive heard conflicting things that this wasnt long enough to wait and that I should have waited until atleast day 21. Help, Im incredibly worried.
Brief Answer:
You can repeat the test at this time.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the posting query on health care magic,
PCR-RNA qualitative test for HIV is highly sensitive & specific test, you can be sure of the test result as negative at 17 days of exposure since the chances of false negative result is rare here and also negative results need not to be confirmed usually.
Generally incubation period of HIV ranges from 1 month to 3 months and if you did the test after 25 days of exposure then it could give around 90% accurate result.
Mostly,RNA test give negative results after 3 or 4 weeks of exposure accurately, because it is highly specific and sensitive test but to repeat the test after 6 to 8 weeks will give nearly 100% result to clear remaining doubt.
So,if you are much worried about your early negative result then you can repeat the test at this time (8 weeks of exposure) to be more sure and to clear remaining doubt.
Most probably it will come negative like your earlier result,so need not to be worried but repeat testing will give final confirmation.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
You can repeat the test at this time.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the posting query on health care magic,
PCR-RNA qualitative test for HIV is highly sensitive & specific test, you can be sure of the test result as negative at 17 days of exposure since the chances of false negative result is rare here and also negative results need not to be confirmed usually.
Generally incubation period of HIV ranges from 1 month to 3 months and if you did the test after 25 days of exposure then it could give around 90% accurate result.
Mostly,RNA test give negative results after 3 or 4 weeks of exposure accurately, because it is highly specific and sensitive test but to repeat the test after 6 to 8 weeks will give nearly 100% result to clear remaining doubt.
So,if you are much worried about your early negative result then you can repeat the test at this time (8 weeks of exposure) to be more sure and to clear remaining doubt.
Most probably it will come negative like your earlier result,so need not to be worried but repeat testing will give final confirmation.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you. What percentage of accuracy would you say it is at 17 days abd have you ever seen a negative PCR test that early change to positive? Im doing an ELISA test soon
Brief Answer:
90% accurate.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for quick follow-up.
At 17 days, the test may give 90% accuracy and it is quite uncommon to be turned out positive later on.
I have not personally seen any case who turned out to be positive later on in my clinical practice so far.
But you can repeat the same test or may go for ELISA test to clear your remaining doubt and to be more safe.
Regards,
Dr.Sandipkabra
90% accurate.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for quick follow-up.
At 17 days, the test may give 90% accuracy and it is quite uncommon to be turned out positive later on.
I have not personally seen any case who turned out to be positive later on in my clinical practice so far.
But you can repeat the same test or may go for ELISA test to clear your remaining doubt and to be more safe.
Regards,
Dr.Sandipkabra
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Great. One more question, are night sweats with no fever alarming when considering early HIV? I would think if this were a seroconversion symptom something would have shown for sure in the PCR test consider I took it after the night sweat episode (on day 9)
Brief Answer:
Does not look to be HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the response,
Night sweat is not the symptom of early HIV.
I do not think that you should be worried about HIV. However, you can repeat the test to be for damn sure as we discussed.
Otherwise, there is nothing to be worried.
Regards,
Does not look to be HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the response,
Night sweat is not the symptom of early HIV.
I do not think that you should be worried about HIV. However, you can repeat the test to be for damn sure as we discussed.
Otherwise, there is nothing to be worried.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Answered by
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