HIV TEST ACCURACY,How accurate is the HIV EIA? I have read that it is suppose to be 99.99% accurate after the window period! I have tested hiv negative three times 10 years after possible exposure 2 negative EIA and 1 negative DNA PCR. Possible exposure unprotected vaginal sex.I still have possible symptoms. Mild night sweats,burning and tingling in my feet,sores in my mouth that heal quick 1 to 2 days this has been going on for 7 months my doctor sais it is just anxiety.That the tests should be extreamlly accurate but I am having a hard time getting over this everytime I start to have symptoms I think that the tests may be wrong.My wife of 7 years has also tested negative last august around the time of all my tests. Does anyone no of someone having negative tests then find out to be positive later I am cocerned maybe my body isnt producing antibodies anymore being so long after possible exposure but everyone I talk to this about say that I would be extreammly ILL for that to be the case.(cdc,my doctor pcp,infectious disease specialist)which I am not. THANK YOU ANY RESPONSE WILL BE APPERCIATED!!! I dont understand this at all!!! I am very scared!!!

It has been 10 year sinc your possible exposure, and you are testing HIV negative. That sounds like good news to me. You are negative, get on with your life. You need to accept the fact that you are not infected with HIV and move on.

Hey man, according to the CDC guidelines, median progression period between HIV infection and the onset of AIDS is 8-10 years. Now, that does not mean that one day after 10 years you are perfectly and the next you are dying...the majority of people start getting ill as their immune system goes down (CD4 cells dying), so when your CD4 count gets to below 200, regardless of whether you are sick or not, your status is defined as AIDS.

It takes 3 months (for most people, 6 for all) to have HIV antibodies detected in the blood. You tested 3 times after 10 years, that means you are negative at a 100%. Some people say that antiretroviral therapy canmake some positive people show negative at the late stages of infection. I dont think you have been in HAART so, again you are not infected.

About your symptoms, there are many things that can cause them, but it is certainly not HIV. May be a reactivation of Epstein/Barr (mono, cebv)or some other virus. Anxiety is a BIG factor, and for some of us that are just starting with symptoms after a few months of exposure, I can tell you is a hell of a time. So you have had a long, long time to wait and you are negative! keep it that way, calm down, and try to tackle your symptoms from other perspectives.

Live well!

J2K

Thank you,for your replys PC MAN,J2K!!! They are apperciated I hope everything turns out ok for you J2K!!! I am just having a hard time getting past this everytime I start to have symptoms I think the worse.I know that after six months HIV testing is suppose to be conclusive but I have also read that false negative tests can happen late in HIV DISEASE.This is were all my concern began after my first negative EIA,and my continuing symptoms.I am going to start some kind of counseling with a therapist hopefully that will help,I am also going to ask my doctor to refer me to a neurlogist to maybe find out why I am having this burning and tingling in my feet.MY night sweats the infectious disease specialist that I had seen told me to just deal with them that I had a thourough medical evaulation. Well one way or another I need to find out what the hell is causing these symptoms. I just hope that these tests I have taken are really as accurate as they say they are!!! I need to just get over this but that is truly easier said than done!!! WELL THANKS for your help!!!

mI could probably help you if you are infected with AIDS. There’s a cure for it. To know more write me at [removed].com

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[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 02-02-2003).]