Is HIV RNA PCR Qualitative Test Taken 48hrs After Exposure Reliable?

Posted on Mon, 12 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 Answered on

Mon, 2 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Doctor is HIV RNA PCR Qualitative Test after 48hrs Exposure Reliable ?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (3 minutes later)

Hello

With in 48 hours after exposure HIV RNA PCR will not be a reliable test. If you have suspicion of exposure then you can start post exposure prophylaxis. Earliest test to detect HIV infection is P24 antigen test and it usually got detected at around 4 weeks.

Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (3 minutes later)

But its already been 12 days in exposure now !! I am a male and I recently visited a massage parlor, the guy first played with my nipples hard and then he started sucking for few minutes... I felt awkward and asked him to stop (I mean we did nothing more) when I came home I saw that surrounding my nipple... In the Areola region I had few very small ncuts caused by his nail

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The risk of transmission is very rare

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking a follow up question

You went to a massage parlour and it was not an intercourse. He sucked nipples for few minutes and there were small cuts on nipples. There were no exchange of body fluids. As per my opinion even if we assume that the guy at massage parlour was infected still there is very very rare risk of transmission.

Still to be on safer side you can wait for few days and then can go for P24 antigen or HIV RNA PCR assay for HIV virus. This tests can detect infection at earliest and have high sensitivity.

Thanks, hope this helps you. Please ask again for more doubts in follow up question.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad