hello dr frascino.

I have been reading your posts on this forum and saw that you have recently been traveling. i hope you and Dr steve had much fun on your travels, and enjoyed your time together.

so doctor to my scnerio. i had a very low risk activity, recieved unprotected oral sex from a girl of unknown status, and whom i do not know. basically i got a HIV rapid test at 4 weeks then one at 6 and a half weeks (did so only because i was told that 90% of the people who are ifected with HIV, will develop antibodies within 4-6 weeks) is that true? both came back negative. then at 6 weeks i had a "HIV1 RNA QT PCR" (thats how it is written on my test result papers) and it says copies/ML <48 Not Detected..... logcopies/ML <1.68 Not Detected

so doctor i am just wondering if i can run to the highest mountain top in Los Angeles and WOOOOOHOOOOO!!! to be honest you will proboly here me all the up in san fransico. Donation is on the way. i promised to donate my bonus check to your organization and a few others that have helped me through all of this.

ps if you give me the ok to woo hoo, i will write back because i have a worried well experience that i want to share, and hopefully encourage those who feel like they have no hope, because after this i do know what that feels like and it is horrible.

Hi,

Unprotected oral sex, particularly insertive oral sex, carries only a very minimal risk for acquiring HIV. It is true that the vast majority of folks infected with HIV will have detectable levels of anti-HIV antibodies in their blood within four to six weeks. However, we really can't quantify vast majority to exactly "90%," as there are many testing variables involving the various assays, differences in the host immune response and variability in HIV strains. Certainly your negative four- and six-week antibody tests are very encouraging, but not completely conclusive. The "HIV1 RNA QT PCR" is a quantitative HIV-1 plasma PCR viral load test. HIV PCR tests are generally not recommended for routine HIV screening, due to the rate of false-positives (you can read many testimonials of this happening in the archives), other technical concerns and cost. The good news is that PCR technology generally does not have problems involving "false negative" results. So, do I think you are HIV negative? Yes, I do, based on your very low risk potential exposure, negative rapid tests and undetectable HIV PCR viral load at week six. However, if you want the gold standard level of assurance, you should repeat your HIV-antibody test at the three-month mark per the published recommended guidelines. Should you choose to do so, I'm confident the result will once again be negative.

Do give us warning on the way up the mountain so we can put in our earplugs. I can tell you're a real screamer!

Good luck. Be well.

Dr. Bob