Seymour, CT
A 40-year-old male asked:
Had unprotective sex w gf starting on 1/13 & last time 1/24. she said she's neg for hiv/aids. i tested neg for gh, cl & syph on 1/17. now want to get aids test. too soon? sore throat at times since 1/20. how likely is it to be hiv symptom?
3 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
A Verified Doctoranswered
A US doctor answeredLearn more
Not Likely: It is very unlikely to be a presenting symptom of HIV and it wouldn't be from her if she was tested a few weeks ago. You would of had to have had it for probably a few years already. It is never too soon to get an HIV test. Go get yours today and use condoms if you are so worried about STD's.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
812 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Hunter Handsfield commented
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
Sore throat alone is almost never due to HIV, and heterosexually transmitted HIV remains rare in situations like this. Since you're apparently worried about your partner's HIV risks, also get tested for common STDs -- much higher risk than HIV.
Jan 29, 2017
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 51 years experience
Too soon to test: A negative result this soon after potential exposure to HIV would not rule out infection. If this is the only exposure you are concerned about, you may wait 6 months to get a HIV nucleic acid test. In the interim, practice safe sex.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
812 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Hunter Handsfield commented
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
Maybe Dr. Singh is thinking of a different kind of HIV test. The standard HIV blood test (4th generation, antigen-antibody test) is conclusive any time 4 weeks or more after exposure.
Jan 29, 2017
Dr. Gurmukh Singh commented
Pathology 51 years experience
Provided original answer
Dr, Handsfield: The fourth generation test is definitive, more or less, if positive at four weeks. However it misses about 5 % of the infections at 4 weeks. At 12 weeks after exposure, 99.5% of the infections are detectable. I generally recommend doing HIV nucleic acid test at 6 months after potential infection to rule out HIV, not to diagnose, which as you stated can be done much earlier.
Jan 30, 2017
Dr. Geraldine Goertzenanswered
Emergency Medicine 32 years experience
Not likely: If your girlfriend has been tested and does not have HIV, and you have no other possible sources, it is not HIV. It takes weeks for the HIV blood test to show a new infection. If you were tested now, it would only show what you had before this new contact. People who think they were exposed to HIV in health care test at 6 weeks and 6 months.
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811 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Related questions
A 29-year-old male asked:
Is it possible to have unprotected sex with someone who is hiv+ and get a lot symptoms and still test negative using a 4 generation combo test 4.5 months after exposure? Are hiv results false negative? Still having sore throat and belly pain growling?
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 51 years experience
Possible: If the person is taking medication to control the virus level, sex need to transmit the virus. Even without taking medication, one exposure may not tr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
8 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Yesterday i asked a question,hiv 4th gen test negative after 86 day post pep/116 days post exposure,bt i apologies i forget to mention i have some symptoms from last 2,3 weeks, sore throat, but i tested 2 times during symptoms, now its conclusive?
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 51 years experience
Sore throat could be from a number of viral and bacterial infections. If you have fever, it may be bacterial and require antibiotics. If it has affect... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Reviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
I had a 4th gen hiv test at 5 weeks and 7 weeks post unprotected sex, both came back negative. I have had a sore throat on and off since before the first test. Can I rule out hiv after this last test or do I need to test again?
Dr. Hunter Handsfieldanswered
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
The HIV blood tests are infinitely more accurate in judging possible HIV infection than symptoms are; and the tests never miss an HIV infection after ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Answered Apr 08, 2022
A 31-year-old male asked:
Unprotected vaginal sex 5.5months ago. Later Found she is hiv+. Did 14 hiv test all neg.1 pcr rna at 11wks .4 generation test4,6,8,12,16wks & 3 generation test at 5mths & 4days after exposure all neg.Still having sore throat, back pain, thrust, aches?
Dr. Hunter Handsfieldanswered
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
HIV diagnosis: I understand your concern, but you were at low risk: the average chance of transmission during one episode of unprotected vaginal sex with an infecte... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Reviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old male asked:
I have been having a sore throat for the pass 5 months after a 6 months unprotected vaginal sex,did a EBV test & hiv 4 gen hiv at 3 & 4 months after exposure. Ebv (mono) back pos igg & the hiv negative. Hiv test at 6 months neg. Red patch tongue.hiv?
Dr. Richard Romanoanswered
Internal Medicine 11 years experience
Consider a throat culture, GERD, allergies, candida infection, chlamydia, gonorrhea.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Answered >2 years ago
Last updated Feb 1, 2017
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