Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. Dear Doctor,
I am very concerned about my HIV test results and the information on them.
I had a routine antibody test done and it was negative. The very next week I was diagnosed with Mono, positive Mono spot. This scarred me as the symtoms were similar to ARS [acute retroviral syndrome]. I then had a followup anitbody test done at six weeks after the first test, it was negative. Then I had a Proviral DNA PCR done at seven, nine, and eleven weeks and each was non-reactive. Finally, I had a 13 week antibody test done and it was negative as well.
I believe I'm negative, but thought that my Mono could have made my tests unreliable.
I am wondering, is there any way im positive and the DNA PCR is not detecting the virus?
Thank you for your help and time with my qustion.
Ross Slotten, M.D.
Klein and Slotten Medical Associates
Private Practice in Family Medicine
With a special interest in HIV disease
Since you're mono spot test was positive, you have mononucleosis. You seem obsessed with the idea that you've been infected with HIV for reasons that aren't clear to me. In my experience, people with such obsessions are never convinced that they aren't HIV positive, no matter how many different tests they take. I suggest that you seek psychological counseling to deal with this obsession.
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