Important note: Information in this Q&A was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.I am terrified out of my mind and I can't stop thinking about it!!! This is the situation: November 2006 I was attacked by someone who tried to rape me. He did not succeed but we did end up in a terrible fight, I was battling for me life. I was biting, scratching and kicking...any way to get away from him. When I was taken to the ER I had scratches all over me and a busted lip. I was scared though because I bit him that I may have contracted HIV. The police have never caught him...so I don't know his status.
I read all kinds of statistics to determine the likelihood of contracting HIV this way. That still didn't put my mind to rest. I am a 27 yr old female. I had recently had a negative HIV test in March 2006. I have not had sex with anyone new from that time. I was tested in November 2006 negative, (after the incident) I tested again in January 2007 negative. I test again in March 2007 negative. So I thought I was fine. In May 2007 I tried to give blood and received a positive (reactive) ELISA and an "indeterminate" Western Blot. I was freaked out. I went to the doctor's office the same day I got those results and was negative through the Oraquick twenty minute test. Still confused I had my doctor do a Orasure test that went to the lab and came back in three days negative. I am still scared that I could have it. What are the chances of getting from biting someone??? The man looked homeless so I don't know what he could have had. I have been in the same relationship for 3 years with my boyfriend who has been in Iraq since May 2006. Do I have reason to still worry???? Please advise, thank you.
Your multiple negative tests show that you are not HIV positive. Blood bank tests are different than those given to test for an individual person, it's a complicated math thing, but your test was "indeterminate," not positive.
I am quite confident that your tests prove that you do not have HIV.
With the history of sexual violence that you have endured, and your separation from your loved one, I am certain that there is plenty of stress in your life. I think you can relax about HIV risk, based on the information that you have provided.
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