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How Reliable Is The 22 Day Test For HIV After Exposure Through Protected Sex When The Condom Tore At The Side?
Posted on
Thu, 4 May 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Thu, 4 May 2017
Answered on
Fri, 15 Feb 2019
Last reviewed on
Question : Hello
I have been very scared about risk of HIV transmission because of a recent risky encounter. I was in Thailand, where I took a CSW from a go go bar to my hotel. We had protected sex, but after five seconds, I later something was "off". The condom was intact, but I took it off and found a small tear on the right side, about the size of a there was a small tear, about 3 mm. The tear was an inch or so away to the right from the top, but that is what I recall, anyways. I got a INSTI HIV test at 22 days in Toronto, and it was NEGATIVE. I have been reading, however, that the body may not have made enough antibodies by then.
What are my chances of having acquired the HIV infection and how reliable should I consider the 22 day test.
I have been very scared about risk of HIV transmission because of a recent risky encounter. I was in Thailand, where I took a CSW from a go go bar to my hotel. We had protected sex, but after five seconds, I later something was "off". The condom was intact, but I took it off and found a small tear on the right side, about the size of a there was a small tear, about 3 mm. The tear was an inch or so away to the right from the top, but that is what I recall, anyways. I got a INSTI HIV test at 22 days in Toronto, and it was NEGATIVE. I have been reading, however, that the body may not have made enough antibodies by then.
What are my chances of having acquired the HIV infection and how reliable should I consider the 22 day test.
Brief Answer:
Your HIV risk is low.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
All the CSWs are not HIV infected people. They are also well aware of the risks in their profession and they would have adequate check ups and periodic screening for HIV/STD. Their life is more important for them than the money.
All the exposures are not infectious. Nearly 30-40% of spouses of HIV positives remain HIV negative in spite of their sexual contacts for years with their positive partners and they are called sero-discordant couples.
Moreover you had protected exposure with a broken condom. Your risk for HIV is still low. The size of the tear has no matter in this as the virus are nano particles.
You had a nonreactive antibody detecting test 22 days after the activity which cannot be taken as reliable as these antibody tests are reliable only after the window period (6-8 weeks, up to 12 weeks).
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
Your HIV risk is low.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
All the CSWs are not HIV infected people. They are also well aware of the risks in their profession and they would have adequate check ups and periodic screening for HIV/STD. Their life is more important for them than the money.
All the exposures are not infectious. Nearly 30-40% of spouses of HIV positives remain HIV negative in spite of their sexual contacts for years with their positive partners and they are called sero-discordant couples.
Moreover you had protected exposure with a broken condom. Your risk for HIV is still low. The size of the tear has no matter in this as the virus are nano particles.
You had a nonreactive antibody detecting test 22 days after the activity which cannot be taken as reliable as these antibody tests are reliable only after the window period (6-8 weeks, up to 12 weeks).
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have read that the INSTI HIV third generation test used for antibodies has been able to detect antibodies by three weeks. A lot of websites, including CDC and other US government websites say the newer antibody test are able to detect antibodies by 3 weeks.
What do you think.
Have you ever known a case where a condom break led to hiv for the man
Thanks
What do you think.
Have you ever known a case where a condom break led to hiv for the man
Thanks
Brief Answer:
HIV Antibody tests are reliable after window period.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Antibodies against HIV in the presence of an infection can appear only after 4-6 weeks after the entry of organisms; it may be delayed up to 12 weeks with certain individuals.
There is no possibility for an antibody detection test to become reliable around three weeks.
Cases of HIV reported in individuals with the history of condom break is a remote possibility.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
HIV Antibody tests are reliable after window period.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Antibodies against HIV in the presence of an infection can appear only after 4-6 weeks after the entry of organisms; it may be delayed up to 12 weeks with certain individuals.
There is no possibility for an antibody detection test to become reliable around three weeks.
Cases of HIV reported in individuals with the history of condom break is a remote possibility.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Thanks Dr. Should I get tested at four weeks now ? I plan to get tested again, but here is a study of the INSTI HIV test in Canada I took. It suggests that the latest INSTI HIV can detect antibodies by 19 days.
XXXX
Have you seen a lot of cases where a negative at 22 days became a positive in a month.
Really stressed out !
thanks
XXXX
Have you seen a lot of cases where a negative at 22 days became a positive in a month.
Really stressed out !
thanks
Brief Answer:
You need another test to rule out HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I don't have experience with INSTI HIV test. Even if we consider that it could detect the IgM antibodies against HIV gp 41 Antigen as early as 3 weeks after the infection, it could not be taken as a conclusive test. Moreover it could detect only HIV-1 infection (most common) and not HIV-2 (rarest possibility).
I had come across cases negative by 4 weeks that became positive with a repeat test within a period of 12 weeks. However, relax, your risk is much low as you had protected sex with a history of condom tear.
Confirm that you are free from HIV by another test after 12 weeks, so that it will ease your mental tension.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
You need another test to rule out HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I don't have experience with INSTI HIV test. Even if we consider that it could detect the IgM antibodies against HIV gp 41 Antigen as early as 3 weeks after the infection, it could not be taken as a conclusive test. Moreover it could detect only HIV-1 infection (most common) and not HIV-2 (rarest possibility).
I had come across cases negative by 4 weeks that became positive with a repeat test within a period of 12 weeks. However, relax, your risk is much low as you had protected sex with a history of condom tear.
Confirm that you are free from HIV by another test after 12 weeks, so that it will ease your mental tension.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks, just a few more questions.
1. Are there a lot of cases where a non-reactive test at 4 weeks turns positive by 12 weeks or is it rare. 1 per cent, 5 per cent. Is there a way for you to quantify it for me.
2. Do you have any sense of HIV risk in CSW in Thailand, any information from clients, studies, etc.
3. My urethra was protected, and the tear was on the right side, exposing my penis skin for 5 seconds, may be 7 seconds, no more than that. I have read that odds are quite low for HIV transmission from woman to man, even if she is infected.
Thanks for your advice. I think I may come out of this safe, but a lesson learned !
1. Are there a lot of cases where a non-reactive test at 4 weeks turns positive by 12 weeks or is it rare. 1 per cent, 5 per cent. Is there a way for you to quantify it for me.
2. Do you have any sense of HIV risk in CSW in Thailand, any information from clients, studies, etc.
3. My urethra was protected, and the tear was on the right side, exposing my penis skin for 5 seconds, may be 7 seconds, no more than that. I have read that odds are quite low for HIV transmission from woman to man, even if she is infected.
Thanks for your advice. I think I may come out of this safe, but a lesson learned !
Brief Answer:
HIV prevalence is more with MSW than with FSW in Thailand.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
1. There are no statistics available in this regard. I had come across 3-4 such incidences in 27 years of practice in HIV Medicine. Most of the patients came to me with advanced and established diseases or were referred by my colleagues of other specialists who found out during investigations. Similarly many of my fellow HIV specialists also would have. You can calculate the rarity.
2. I don't have the prevalence of HIV through CSW in Thailand. You can find out online, which is why I told that your risk for HIV is low.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
HIV prevalence is more with MSW than with FSW in Thailand.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
1. There are no statistics available in this regard. I had come across 3-4 such incidences in 27 years of practice in HIV Medicine. Most of the patients came to me with advanced and established diseases or were referred by my colleagues of other specialists who found out during investigations. Similarly many of my fellow HIV specialists also would have. You can calculate the rarity.
2. I don't have the prevalence of HIV through CSW in Thailand. You can find out online, which is why I told that your risk for HIV is low.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. S. Murugan
HIV AIDS Specialist
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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