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DO I HAVE HIV INFECTION? Could you explain the following please? I read the following quote on a medical website www.pubmed.gov. "AIDS: In some individuals considered to be at low risk for having HIV, HIV-1 antibodies have been found in their urine but not their blood. According to one of the largest testing labs in the country, one of every 1,000 persons at low-risk, as well as 24 of 25,000 subjects, tested positive for HIV-1 antibodies in their urine and not their blood. Clinical laboratory tests and researchers suggest that HIV can settle in tissue apart from the blood, and therefore go undetected by blood tests." I have been tested 5 times in the last 6 months from an incident (but low risk one) that happened 2 years ago. Could you explain why the blood tests could not pick up the HIV and only Urine can? Now I am worried again! Please help. Samantha, 43 years, Lousiana. REPLY Samantha, Test results from two body fluids that do not agree are referred to as 'discordant'. It is believed that some individuals have the ability to compartmentalise the HIV virus, that is, limit the HIV virus to only one particular body tissue. Since HIV is spread mainly by sexual contact, tests have revealed that those individuals who have the HIV-1 antibody in their urine have managed to compartmentalise the virus in the mucosa of the urogenital tract , mainly in the bladder. This leads to the antibody being secreted in the urine but not showing up in the blood. The presence of the HIV-1 antibody in the urine but not in the blood indicates an exposure to the virus but not an infection with HIV. These individuals have not been known to develop AIDS later on. In your case, since the blood tests have come negative, you are not infected with the HIV virus. I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask a follow-up question if you need more information. FOLLOW-UP So is there any way I could have it but the antibodies not be detected in my blood? My risk (I have been told was low, I kissed a Guy with HIV and I had a cold sore in my mouth). I guess I am more paranoid about the idea and that is why I can't accept the neg tests. REPLY No, kissing a guy with HIV will not cause you to get the HIV antibody in the urine. If you pick up the infection by kissing (very unlikely), the blood test would have been positive. It is sex with an HIV positive person which will cause the virus to enter and lodge in the urinary or genital tract. Samantha paid $20 on November 2 2008 at 7:42 AM Previous : Next Read Questions asked by other Users on this Site: On Breasts On Menstruation On Pregnancy On Infertility On Menopause On Birth Control Methods On Sex On Male Sexual health On Other Miscellaneous Questions Bookmark this page Digg it! Stumbleupon Facebook del.icio.us Web www.gynaeonline.com Go Top

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