HIV Support Group

Hi -- if you're still worried, you could try posting your question here http://www.freedomhealth.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3 Hope all is well.

I carried the virus 15 years before it gave me any indication it was there. I got thrush and a yeast infection on the insides of my thighs. Funny way to find out. Being promiscuous in the 80's I have no way to track it back, alot of those folks are no longer with us. Best of luck and I would definately get a another test done, and soon

If you're testing negative after this long, you're negative.

Look into some other causes for your health symptoms. I hope you'll find some relief.

a little update rapid hiv 1/2 test on 10/01/09 still negative but still having symptoms

I agree you should be neg at this point something else is going on and you need a complete work up with competent docs.............

is a rapid test just as accurate as an elissa test

ok still having flu type symptoms despite negative rapid test out to 9 months never done elisa just rapid test do anybody recomend any diffrent testing or is the rapid test just as accurate as the elisa

All of the screening tests, ELISAs and RAPIDs, are highly sensitive. If they give negative results after the reasonable "window period" between infection and production of antibodies, then the person tested is not infected.

There are hundreds of other viruses, besides HIV-1, HIV-2, Herpes Simplex 1 and 2 and the other that we commonly describe as being "sexually transmissible". There are some very rare viruses that are not even known enough to have a test available for them, and there are some that are so common that virtually everyone has been exposed to them so testing is not informative.

For one example, the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) which is a member of the herpesvirus family (it is also known as human herpesvirus 4) usually causes "flu-like symptoms" that last a month or so. But some people end up with chronic fatigue symptoms that last for years.

If you are either infected with a rare virus, or experienceing rather rare symptoms of a common virus (everyone reacts a bit differently to any virus infection, which is why a particular flu virus might kill 1 in 1,000 infected people for example), it can be nearly impossible to find out exactly which virus caused the problem. They best that can be done is to rule out bacterial infections or other treatable problems. If there is no treatment available or recommended for lingering effects of EBV, for example, it doesn't do a lot of good to identify the virus, as far as ending your symptoms goes. However, there are other aspects of this, such as your fears or worries about HIV, and your worries about how long will you feel bad and are you still contagious and likely to pass something to other people. So you should get a consulltation with an infectious disease specialist to discuss all of your concerns, even if there is no good treatment.

It seems unlikely that all of your symptoms are due to HSV-2 alone. But it is always possible that you are having rare symptoms of a common virus, as I said before. It seems more likely to me, that it is something like a combination of the HSV-2 plus EBV or CMV or some other virus, but I am only guessing. An infectious disease specialist could do a lot more, taking into account more information from you.

hiv pcr rna / hiv elisa ab negative turns out im posotive for mono though

I hope you recover from the mononucleosis. It can last month or even more in many people. Thanks for letting us know what the final diagnosis was.