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Occupational exposure of a medical assistant who is my grandaughter

Posted: Aug 10, 2003

QUESTION:

My grandaughter (one of my medical assistants) was exposed by a hollow core needle stick to a known hiv positive patient. She did not report it until three days later. For early detection, I ordered a PCR proviral DNA qualitative test along with an EIA to rule out any previous infection. I had her tested with this combo at 2,4,6,7 and 9 weeks post exposure. All results were negative. Is this conclusive? No PEP was administered.


  

RESPONSE FROM:   

    While we have a forum focussed on these issues in more depth than this one - we can give you the quick response here. In general, if HIV is there, it does show up in our tests in the first few weeks if not few months after exposure. So you can have 99.9+% confidence that there is no HIV there. If you want that extra ~0.9% reassurance - then you might suggest retesting in another few months. But this is a very rare outcome to have late seroconversion...




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