HIV, Hepatitis A/B/C Coinfection?

[Seiseki]

Hello everyone;

Long story short. 7 months ago I had a risky sexual encounter (oral sex on a woman), from which I am sure I contracted HIV, although my test at 6 months was negative, my symptoms of seroconversion and following oportunistic infections leave no doubt of it, I am just waiting for my body to be able to produce antibodies to test positive. Two weeks after, and without my knowing  I was infected with the virus I had unprotected sex with a female and she was on her period, which I noticed after finishing the intercourse (penetrative vagina sex, no anal sex, no oral sex).

However, what compeles me here is not HIV itself. As I already mentioned the first risk took place 7 months ago and the second one 6 and a half months ago, after those I haven't had any kond of sex with nobody, neither protected nor unprotected.  have never had a tatto, or a piercing and I have never snorted nor injected drugs. So far I have had several negative tests for hepatitis a,b and c, being the las ones 28 weeks after risk 1 (oral) and 26 weeks after risk 2 (vaginal). So far I have't noticed the so most typical symptoms of hepatitis (jaundice), however, during several weeks I had an iron taste in my mouth and discomfrot on the right side of my torax, although they could be due to HIV. My questions are as follow:

1) How likely am I to contract Hep a,b and c during each risk I had
2) In a scenario where there is no coninfection between hep and HIV, what is the window period?
3) Would having HIV cause a delay in my production of antobodies for each hepatitis?
4) Which factors would cause the window period to increase?

Thanks for you answer.

[Lynn K]

1) How likely am I to contract Hep a,b and c during each risk I had
You tested negative at more than 6 months post incident you are not infected.

2) In a scenario where there is no coninfection between hep and HIV, what is the window period?
Not sure exactly your question but if you have AIDS it could possibly take up to 6 months for enough hep c antibodies to develop due to being immuno compromised.

If you do not have AIDS antibodies to hep c could be found as soon as 4 to 6 weeks post exposure.

3) Would having HIV cause a delay in my production of antibodies for each hepatitis?
I can only speak to hep c but I assume it would be similar for hep A and B

4) Which factors would cause the window period to increase?
As mentioned being immuno compromised causes it to take longer for you body to create sufficient antibodies to rise to detectable levels.

Hep c is a blood borne virus in that hep c infected blood must enter your blood stream. Hep c reauires blood to blood contact for transmission. While sexual transmission is possible it is less common a way to contract hep c.  Monogamous married couples are not advised to use barrior protection by the CDC because sexual transmission is rare in this case. Risk factors that increase the odds of sexual transmission are persons who have multiple sex partners, those who engage in rough sexual practices and in the presence of HIV.

I found the following at the CDC web site about HIV testing

No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after infection. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, talk to your health care provider about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), right away.

The time between when a person may have been exposed to HIV and when a test can tell for sure whether they have HIV is called the window period. The window period varies from person to person and depends on the type of test used to detect HIV.

A nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually tell you if you are infected with HIV 10 to 33 days after an exposure.

An antigen/antibody test performed by a laboratory on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV infection 18 to 45 days after an exposure. Antigen/ antibody tests done with blood from a finger prick can take longer to detect HIV (18 to 90 days after an exposure). When the goal is to tell for sure that a person does not have HIV, an antigen/antibody test performed by a laboratory on blood from a vein is preferred.

Antibody tests can usually take 23 to 90 days to reliably detect HIV infection. Most rapid tests and home tests are antibody tests. In general, antibody tests that use blood from a vein can detect HIV sooner after infection than tests done with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid.

Ask your health care provider about the window period for the test you’re taking. If you’re using a home test, you can get that information from the materials included in the test’s package. If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period for the test you’re taking to be sure. If your health care provider uses an antigen/antibody test performed by a laboratory on blood from a vein you should get tested again 45 days after your most recent exposure. For other tests, you should test again at least 90 days after your most recent exposure to tell for sure if you have HIV.

If you learned you were HIV-negative the last time you were tested, you can only be sure you’re still negative if you haven’t had a potential HIV exposure since your last test. If you’re sexually active, continue to take actions to prevent HIV, like using condoms the right way every time you have sex and taking medicines to prevent HIV if you’re at high risk.




Based on you saying you also tested negative for HIV at 6 months I would believe your doctor you do not have HIV and I also doubt you have Hepatitis since you tested negative to them as well.

In the future you should consider using safe sexual practices like always using barrier protection including during oral sex. For example a condom cut on one side lengthwise can be used as a way to have oral sex without direct contact.

Congrats on not being infected

[Lynn K]

Also if you believe you have HIV it is irresponsible to have unprotected sex. In some states you can be charged with assault for this behavior.

Always use protection to protect yourself. If you believe yourself to be infected with any STD use protection to protect your partner.......

[Seiseki]

Hello Lynn k. Thanks for answering.

In my defense, I had no idea that I had been infected with HIV when I had unprotected intercorse with the lady (I thought HIV was not contracted through oral sex and I also thought my seroconversion symptoms were due to a nasty flu and not HIV, I realized some days after the intercorse and it was too late),  and that is the reason I stopped having sex with anybody, even protected (because you never know when a condom can burst) when I realized.

Thanks for your answer , I am sure I got HIV, there is no doubt abut it, however having any kind of hep makes me really worried because I know how devastating HIV is, but combined with any hep it is even worse.

At the point I am not devaated any longer with HIV, I have akreadya arived to terms with my prompt diagnosis , but I don't know if I could stand having hep as well.

[Lynn K]

Didn’t your HIV test come up negative? With a negative result at 6 months it sounds like you do not have HIV why do you believe you hsvevHIV when you test negative?

From what I understand symptoms would not show up this early.

Are you being treated by a doctor and what has your doctor told you?

[Seiseki]

Hello, Thanks for your interest.

"Didn’t your HIV test come up negative? With a negative result at 6 months it sounds like you do not have HIV why do you believe you hsvevHIV when you test negative?"

Yes, indee 95% of people test positive at 3 months, and about 99% by 6 months. However there are a few ones who take longer and they are usually the ones who already had a weakened immune system or those whose immune siystem was destroyed by the virus really quickly.  If we consider that thousands of people test positive each year, 1% is not negligible.

"From what I understand symptoms would not show up this early." HIV is an unpredictable virus, it might well be dormant in your body for years without your realizing it, or you can have your body severely damaged weeks after you contract it, it depends on several factors, like the virus' strain, your immune system, etc.
The symptoms I had during the first weeks are called ARS, which is the body's natural response to the virus. And the symptoms I am having now are due to a weakened immune system (several infections all over the body and in several systems)

"Are you being treated by a doctor and what has your doctor told you?" Not one, but several, and nobody finds anything abnormal. They tell me "I don't think you have HIV, it must be something else, let's keep looking". Notice the "I dont think" and the "you must", which shows that they are not completely sure.

Thanks for your time. Once I have my diagnosis I will come to share all the details because I am sure there are several people affected by HEP C who are also conerned for HIV.

Be strong guys

[Lynn K]

Yes there have been a couple here who have HIV/HCV coinfection. I hope your doctors are correct and you don’t have HIV and that they can determine the cause of your symptoms.

Not having HIV or Hepatitis would be of course the preferable outcome.

Best of luck to you