Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. Almost five years ago(Oct 1998) I had a one time unprotected receptive vaginal encounter with someone who I was later told was HIV+, but never had actually had confirmation from him. It took me 4 1/2 years to finally get a test because I was too scared.
In May of 2003 I finally got the nerve to get tested. I went to a local Planned Parenthood here in MA and it came back negative. I was told that no further testing needed to be done because my exposure was so long ago. I was also told that the MA state lab had the top of the line HIV testing resources. Just to be sure I took a Home Access test in August of 2003 and that also came back negative.
My main issue now is that I am reading that blood tests lose their validity after a couple of years of the primary exposure and that many people who test negative can really be positive because the antibodies aren't that strong. What is the real truth in that and should I test again? I want to put this past me, but how can if this is true?
Marty Markowitz, M. D.
Clinical Director
Staff Investigator, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center
Associate Professor, Rockefeller University
HIV antibody testing is a highly effective way to screen the population for the presence of HIV infection.
HIV infected individuals have high levels of antibodies to the HIV virus which persist in that person during the course of infection.
As the infection continues and AIDS occurs and progresses the antibody response to the virus may become more difficult to measure, but these individuals are very ill and the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is not a problem.
Given the time of exposure and 2 negative tests...you should feel confident in putting this behind you...
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