Question: Hello, my daughter was sexually assaulted in late December. At the time, she was tested for HIV, which was negative and given PEP drugs to combat possible HIV exposure. She was on these for a month. She was then tested for various STDs. On the HIV screen (Fourth Generation, With Reflex), said she was NonReactive. She also tested for HEP C Antibodies. The result was less than .1 Screen to Cut off Ratio. She was retested in April of this year and the results for the HIV Screen (Fourth Generation, With Reflex) said, again ,that she was Non Reactive. The HEP C AB test showed .4 Screen to Cut off Ratio (with negative being less than .8). She was not placed on PEP drugs at that time and her pcp doctor told her there was nothing of concern. She was concerned about the rise in the number on her HEP C AB test, so saw a specialist in STDs. They tested her, again, in early May. The results were the same. HIV Screen (Fourth Generation, With Reflex) was non reactive and the HEP C AB was .4 (with negative being less than .8). For some reason, her specialist put her on PEP drugs again for three months despite the fact that she now appears to have multiple non reactive screens and aside from the fact that she had only the risky experience of assault in late December. She is concerned as to why she would be placed on these drugs and is upset and shell shocked and confused. She believes that she may have been told that the HEP C AB number could be indicative of HIV concerns. My understanding is that the HEP C AB test ONLY tests for antibodies for HEP C AB and nothing else and that the HIV screen, alone, addresses possible HIV exposure and infection. Can you provide any insight as to whether there is a connection between Hep C AB test and HIV? Also, is there any reason to be on PEP drugs for 90 days additional after multiple non reactive HIV Screens.

if her only risk of exposure was in december, should she have any concerns regarding HIV exposure in december given her three non reactive tests since? are the fourth generation hiv screens with reflex accurate?

also is there any clinical significance to the fact that her first Hep C AB was less than .1 and two subsequent tests have risen to .4?

thanks

your answer was re assuring but confused me a bit. i was asking about two separate tests and i cannot tell if your answer had to fo with one test or two.

does the result for the HEP C AB test have anything to do with the HIV screen results?

she is being told that the reason she is being put back on PEP meds for three months os because of the results on rhe HEP C AB tests and this makes no sense to me unless it has dome relation to HIV.