Question
What is an HIV sub-type?
15 March 2006. Related: All topics, South Africa.
Answer
There are different strains of HIV-1 and these are called sub-types. Most of these sub-types are still very similar. In European and America most infections are with sub-type B; in south East Asia Subtype E is prominent, and in Southern and Eastern Africa Sub-Type C is most common.
Reinfection and recombination of different viruses mean that some people are infected with two different sub-types, or a mixture of sub-types i.e. in West Africa, sub-type A plus G is a common virus.
(Adapted from a question from the i-Base Q&A pages of the African Eye a new treatment publication for African communities affected by HIV who are living in the UK)
If your tests are negative, you do not have HIV.
The test is sensitive enough to pick up different sub-types.
If you have symptoms these are related to something else.
Hi I had a risk in Asia late January and I have had a 11 and 13 week ag/ab dual tests done which were negative but I’m still not convinced as I’ve had every symptom you could imagine plus purple spots in mouth, white tongue, skin rashes and even bloody sputum. I’ve had immunoglubulin tests done and that’s showing high levels so there is clearly something not right. Is there any chance the gum clinic tests are missing subtype e or any combination of subtypes? Thanks your feedback would be extremely helpful .