Question
Are my results going the wrong way?
21 August 2008. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Other tests.
I was negative in December 2007 and contracted genital HSV1 infection in March 2008. I had an episode of primary HSV infection which took 2 weeks to settle and was associated with anal lesions, swollen lymph nodes in neck and groin, fever and general body ache.
I went for a complete STD panel and was diagnosed with HSV 1 and HIV 1 (Subtype B) on 02 April 2008. Since then I have also had anal warts and suspect HPV infection as well. I have had a very low risk history with use of condoms for anal sex. My doctor says that I have been unlucky to have it through oral sex.
I have had three sets of ELISA and WB tests on different samples on different days but same laboratory and they all are positive.
My baseline CD4 was 819/CD4% 20/ VL 27330 in March 2008. I repeated my tests in June 2008 and the results were CD4 642/CD4% 22/ VL 108000.
Resistance testing has shown no resistance.
I now present my questions
1. How reliable is the HIV diagnosis in view of a simultaneous HSV 1 and HPV Infection? Is there a probability of any cross reaction? I ask this because I have always been low risk and did not have any symptoms of seroconversion between my negative test in December 2007 and 23 March 2008 (when I got HSV).
2. My results seem to be going the wrong way. As you can see my VL has gone up 400 % and my CD4 count has reduced by 22 % but my CD4% has improved by 2%. This appears to be a huge drop in CD4 and a massive increase in VL. I am extremely worried by such deterioration in results in just 3 months, considering the fact that I was negative in December 2007. Could you please comment on my results and what they mean?
3. Can HBV vaccination, which I have received twice in the last 3 months, cause of high viral load?
4. What implication HSV1 and HPV co infection has on HIV VL? Is this a possible cause of my high VL? My doctor is not concerned about the results and in his opinion these are just the same results.
Answer
Thanks for your questions. I’ll try to answer them following your numbering:
1. The test results
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