My Dear friend, I hope you are doing fine. I send you a big hug and my best wishes for the holidays! I am back again! My question is:

I had a protected intercourse with a girl that tested negative on HIV using the PCR method one month after our affair.

Since I didn't know her status before, I took 3 days of PEP and then I quit all together the medication. I had a test done 3 months after my intercourse and the results came back negative for HIV 1 & 2, is that conclusive? Should I have done a test at the 6 month mark since I took PEP?

Also, a doctor just informed me that there is also HIV type 3, but I have not found any places in my entire state to test for HIV 3. Is that a common type of HIV type? How can I know if i don't have HIV type 3? None of the test I hav seen anywhere diagnose that type...

Thanks a million Dr. Bob!!!

Henry

Hello Henry,

Why even consider PEP if you had "protected" sex? Protected sex really is protected, assuming you used the latex condom properly and it didn't break.

Also, why take only three days of PEP? PEP, when warranted, needs to be taken for a full 28 days.

Your negative three-month test is conclusive. No additional tests are warranted.

HIV type 3? What? No, Henry, there is no such thing as HIV type 3, just as there is not such thing as Santa Claus or a compassionate conservative.

Dr. Bob