I had unprotected oral sex 7 days ago with someone who said they have a low CD4 count, so I am worried they might be HIV positive. I started PEP at around 69 to 70 hours after the incident and have been taking it for 4 days. Now, I have symptoms like intermittent fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, rash, and joint pain (especially in the knees). Are these symptoms due to HIV infection or side effects of the medicine? My initial test was negative, when should I get tested again?

Answered by 1 Apollo Doctors

Dr Hema Pratima

General Practitioner

MBBS
9+ Yrs

Consult Now

Symptoms likely from PEP (fatigue, rash, nausea). True acute HIV symptoms take 2 to 4 weeks. Continue PEP fully. Test at Day 28, 6 weeks, and 3 months. Avoid unsafe contact during this window. Negative tests after 3 months are conclusive.

Dr. Hema Suggests...

Take a HIV DUO (ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY) Test

Book HIV DUO (ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY) Test

Answered 2 days ago

More HIV-1 RNA PCR - QUALITATIVE Health Queries

View all

Question

I had sex only once, and I used a condom. But my report says HIV reactive. How is this possible? I know people who have sex often yet they are not HIV positive. Just one time and I am positive? I am really disturbed. What should I do now?

Question

For the past two years, my lymphocyte count has been high, around 46 percent of my total WBC. Recently, I had another CBC test, and both my lymphocyte and WBC counts are coming down. About two years ago, I had a sexual exposure, after which I did multiple HIV antibody tests, including one 1.5 years later, all of which were negative. These tests were conducted at three different certified laboratories. Could my past high lymphocyte count be related to HIV? Is it possible that all my HIV test results were false negatives even after 18 months? I am feeling extremely anxious, am I free from HIV, or should I be concerned?

Question

My HIV test report shows a value of 0.07. Could you please explain in detail what this means? I have attached the report. Also, if I have sexual relations with a single non HIV partner, is there any chance that this value could increase?

Disclaimer: Answers on Apollo 247 are not intended to replace your doctor advice. Always seek help of a professional doctor in case of an medical emergency or ailment.