Question

Recently diagnosed with HIV-2

22 February 2008. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed.

I was just told by my GYN that I tested positive for HIV-2 but Negative for HIV-1. She really had no other information for me and has never had a patient test positive for this. She told me this via phone call on a Friday night before a holiday weekend so I had no way to get information from an ID specialist. After hours on the internet I have several questions and would appreciate any insight.

Everything I have read says that this strain is VERY uncommon in the US and of the reported cases, almost all are that of people from West Africa. I have never traveled to Africa, and as far as I know, none of the sexual partners that I have had in the past have traveled there or even had relations with anyone connected to West Africa. Of course, I dont have complete knowledge of their histories, but it is unlikely. I also read that this strain in much less transmissable than HIV-1 which gives even more merit to my utter SHOCK that I am positive for this. Also, that non all agency screen for this one. In fact, my sister who was screened for HIV during pregnancy just learned that her GYN does not even screen for this strain, so she could have easily gone through her pregnancy not knowing about it and passed it to her child during childbirth.

My questions are…..
i) Is there any other condition that could cause the Western Blot for this to show positive if it is not?
ii) Is this strain as rare as the internet makes it out to be?

I am a 35 year old female living in the suburbs and do not have any risk factors that would cause reason to think I could be positive. I only asked for a test because I wanted a full STD screening in preparation to get pregnant. And I get this.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Hi

To answer your main questions first:

i) I don’t know whether this could be a lab error. It is unlikely but if your history makes you doubt HIV, then getting the results confirmed is a good place to start. Most HIV test include a checking proceedure before giving a postivie result though, but it is worth considering.

ii) HIV-2 is predominantly found in West Africa and it pretty rare everywhere else. In the UK less than 1% of infections are with HIV-2. There are slighly higher numbers in Portugal and France. It is pretty uncommmon in the US, but there are cases there.

I can’t comment on the screening tests used in the US, but most recent tests for HIV-1 are also sensitive to test for HIV-2

If HIV-2 infection is confirmed, it is much better that you have been diangosed now rather than later, as you can access care and treatment if needed.

HIV-2 generally progesses much more slowly than HIV-1 and people can go for longer without needing treatment.

It sounds like very poor medical care to be given a result like this over the phone, with no support information, or without seeing someone face-to-face.

I hope you have now been back to see your specialist.

Please let me know if you have other questions.