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What causes HIV symptoms despite negative test reports?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I had sexual intercourse with a sex worker aged 17 years. She appeared healthy, and during sexual activity, the condom broke, which caused me to worry about HIV. After 24 hours, I began experiencing symptoms, and after 18 days, I visited a doctor and explained everything. The doctor advised me to undergo all STD tests, all of which came back negative. On the 95th day, I went for a checkup and took a tridot test, which also came back negative. However, I continue to experience symptoms such as body pain, mouth ulcers, muscle pain, breathing problems, and stomach issues. I am feeling very unwell. After 124 days, I took another tridot test, and it also returned a negative result. My questions are:

  1. Can HIV cause changes in body growth or lead to stretch marks on the body?

  2. How accurate is the tridot test, and at what point is it considered 100 percent conclusive?

  3. Is the window period for HIV testing three months or six months?

  4. What are the chances of receiving a positive result after 3 months?

  5. For a generally healthy individual aged 22 with no existing health problems, how long does it usually take for antibodies to develop?

Thank you.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It is unlikely that HIV can cause changes in body growth or lead to stretch marks on the body. The Tridot test is a highly sensitive test. It depends on the timing of antibody development. The majority of individuals develop antibodies within three to four weeks, and almost all people infected with HIV develop antibodies within 3 months. The test will detect antibodies whenever they are present. The window period for HIV testing has varied over time due to the sensitivity of the testing kits. With fourth-generation HIV testing kits, this window period has been reduced, and for the vast majority, it is now three months. While there are occasional case reports in the literature where antibodies developed up to six months, these instances are rare. Lastly, a healthier person tends to have an earlier antibody response.

Hope your queries are answered, but if you have any other specific query, Please do not hesitate to ask or call anytime.

Thank you.

Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team

Published At November 13, 2023
Reviewed AtJuly 10, 2025

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