Someone please explain what this means!

[Needsupport]

I apologize for being annoying but as some of you may know I have OCD about hiv so I took 3 oral swab Oraquick tests. I have developed very awful anxiety about possibly somehow having gotten infected through those tests. Please help put my mind at ease by reading the components of the test and explaining what they are.


Contains: HIV 1 & 2 Peptides/Panel Members (Defibrinated), GP-36 Peptide [Biotinylated](N/A), GP-41 Peptide [Biotinylated](N/A).

I am concerned about the Hiv 1 & 2 Peptides/Panel Members and also about Recombinant Protein A. How are these made? Please someone help!

[Fishmanpa]

Other than cut and pasting from Google, no one has the expertise to give you a comprehensive answer.

With respect, what can anyone say to help alleviate your fears? The factual answer in that getting HIV from a stringently controlled manufactured nationally distributed product designed to test for HIV is 0% doesn't seem to help quell your fears.

Positive thoughts

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've tried to explain what I can understand on your other thread.

What you need to remember is that the test works by you running a swab over your gums. The saliva would contain "antibodies" to the "antigen" of the virus IF you were HIV positive. This is where those numbers above come in as they are specific peptides that indicate which of the 2 forms of HIV is found.

Remember, it is synthetic. That means it is made in a lab, not taken from nature.

Recombinant Protein A has nothing to do with HIV, it is a form of bacteria (2 strains of Staphylococcus aureus combined) often found up our noses and an infection that can develop that is treated by antibiotics, often known by people as "staph" infection. It is combined from 2 forms of that bacteria and it is used in many different ways in research and production. It's harmless in this capacity.

I would now be careful about going any further with this because all that is left is understanding how they actually produce it in a lab and it won't help you deal with this. Anything they produce is extracted and purified using heavily controlled quality processes. The fact this test has been approved by your FDA as means of initial HIV diagnosis should tell us that it has been subject to stringent sign off for the licence. Whilst the FDA may not check all medical devices to the same quality, can you imagine a HIV test that didn't work...imagine the hysteria of falsely coming up positive and even worse, not correctly returning a positive in those that do have HIV. It would be off the market and a class action law suit followed by the media.

[hanshan]

Hi Needsupport,

Ask yourself: "Even if I did get reassurance about the swab, how long would that last?"

Most health anxiety sufferers are seeking reassurance, but the reassurance is only short-lived - maybe a couple of hours in many cases. Then the health anxiety sufferer is like a drug addict looking for their next fix. Is this you?

[Needsupport]

Other than cut and pasting from Google, no one has the expertise to give you a comprehensive answer.

With respect, what can anyone say to help alleviate your fears? The factual answer in that getting HIV from a stringently controlled manufactured nationally distributed product designed to test for HIV is 0% doesn't seem to help quell your fears.

Positive thoughts

I want to know if in order to make peptides, they need to grow a lab virus or not. I want to know what panel members are because a google search led me to "plasma that is positive for hiv1/2"- so does that mean plasma with actual viruses supposed to be inactivated? Could a mistake occur where they do not check to make sure the virus has been inactivated and leading to an active virus on the test? I want to know whether LAB CREATED viruses (not natural) can remain active and infectious inside a test kit or on a pad if mistakenly or purposely placed there. I want to know if there would be enough virus to infect through a mucous membrane such as the mouth, if a lab grown virus was on the test.

I want to be told that even a LAB GROWN virus would not remain active through all this and that it couldn't infect. I need to put these test fears to rest.

---------- Post added at 16:27 ---------- Previous post was at 16:21 ----------

I've tried to explain what I can understand on your other thread.

What you need to remember is that the test works by you running a swab over your gums. The saliva would contain "antibodies" to the "antigen" of the virus IF you were HIV positive. This is where those numbers above come in as they are specific peptides that indicate which of the 2 forms of HIV is found.

Remember, it is synthetic. That means it is made in a lab, not taken from nature.

Recombinant Protein A has nothing to do with HIV, it is a form of bacteria (2 strains of Staphylococcus aureus combined) often found up our noses and an infection that can develop that is treated by antibiotics, often known by people as "staph" infection. It is combined from 2 forms of that bacteria and it is used in many different ways in research and production. It's harmless in this capacity.

I would now be careful about going any further with this because all that is left is understanding how they actually produce it in a lab and it won't help you deal with this. Anything they produce is extracted and purified using heavily controlled quality processes. The fact this test has been approved by your FDA as means of initial HIV diagnosis should tell us that it has been subject to stringent sign off for the licence. Whilst the FDA may not check all medical devices to the same quality, can you imagine a HIV test that didn't work...imagine the hysteria of falsely coming up positive and even worse, not correctly returning a positive in those that do have HIV. It would be off the market and a class action law suit followed by the media.

Yes, I know it is made in a lab. That worries me because lab created viruses can remain active for longer periods of time and are higher in quantity. So, I am concerned about HOW they are made in the lab. How detailed are these purifying procedures? If they do need to grow a virus- how do they make SURE the virus does not get on the test or that if unfortunately the test has a virus (panel members?), how do they make SURE the virus is absolutely inactive and not dangerous?

Most importantly, it would help to know that even lab grown viruses wouldn't remain active in that test kit (whether on the pad or inside the actual stick). I know the pouch it is placed in is air tight. I mean there is some space with air in it but not a lot so I don't know. And there is a packet inside to "prevent moisture"- I remember seeing this packet in 2 tests but not 1. I also think that the pads were "dry" (I know they weren't soaking wet) but I'm afraid "what if there were some wet spots that I didn't notice, since I wasn't checking". I don't know how to cope with these awful thoughts.

---------- Post added at 16:29 ---------- Previous post was at 16:27 ----------

Hi Needsupport,

Ask yourself: "Even if I did get reassurance about the swab, how long would that last?"

Most health anxiety sufferers are seeking reassurance, but the reassurance is only short-lived - maybe a couple of hours in many cases. Then the health anxiety sufferer is like a drug addict looking for their next fix. Is this you?

If I get reassurance based on scientific facts, it would last. The issue is that I am not getting reassurance about many things through my research, except for what Terry is telling me which has been helping calm me down a bit. Instead, when I google, I am learning more scary things that I never knew before.

[Fishmanpa]

If I get reassurance based on scientific facts, it would last.

The scientific facts are irrelevant. No one has ever gotten HIV from a test kit! "No One"...That's it... finito.. no "yeah but"... end of subject. How many here still worry after medical professionals tell them they're fine and scientific medical testing proves it? Even if you were given scientific proof, your illness would just grab onto another improbable scenario to obsess over or you'd doubt the facts.

Did you ever call that mental health hotline?

Positive thoughts

[Needsupport]

The scientific facts are irrelevant. No one has ever gotten HIV from a test kit! "No One"...That's it... finito.. no "yeah but"... end of subject. How many here still worry after medical professionals tell them they're fine and scientific medical testing proves it? Even if you were given scientific proof, your illness would just grab onto another improbable scenario to obsess over or you'd doubt the facts.

Did you ever call that mental health hotline?

Positive thoughts

That is not scientific proof and we do not know that. I'm not asking if anyone has ever gotten infected through a test as that would be difficult to prove. Even if they did, people would not think of it so they would assume they got it some other way. Most people think they get hiv through sex when in reality there is a much higher risk of getting it from blood. But would someone who has never been tested and finds out they have it think they got it from medical negligence? No. They would assume they got it from some previous sexual encounter and even if protected, they would think the condom broke or whatever. Hiv has been qualified as an STD, which it is and yes you CAN get it through sex but scientifically, there is a much higher chance of getting it through infected blood. There are also many cases where people do not know how they got it. Because of my awful research, I have learned many things I wish I never knew. So yes, I desperately need to know that LAB GROWN viruses would not remain active on that test kit. And of course my OCD will grab onto other things, I know that but as I said I have MANY obsessions now and the less I have, the better. Yet, what do I find when I google things to reassure myself? More scary things. Why is that? If my thoughts are "irrational" wouldn't I be able to get reassurance?

[Fishmanpa]

If my thoughts are "irrational" wouldn't I be able to get reassurance?

Nope... The very definition of "irrational" is not being able to think clearly, use reason or good judgement. So regardless of any fact or evidence, as clear and concise as it may be, it will not bring you reassurance. That's part of the illness you have.

So... have you contacted anyone about your mental health? (3rd time I've asked).

Good luck and as always

Positive thoughts

[Needsupport]

I don't know what the mental health line is or what their number is. I want to NOT be at risk. Even if someone did put a lab grown virus on the test, would I be at risk? What are panel members and how are they made/placed on the test? Same with peptides...Would a virus be able to remain active on the test pad or inside the test stick? I need to know there is no way.

[Fishmanpa]

I don't know what the mental health line is or what their number is.

If you can Google everything about HIV, you can Google mental health help and hotlines. They're all over the US and every state has a help line to call. Check this out. There's someone to listen and refer you to places and mental health professionals that can help you.

So... the ball is in your court. You can continue to suffer and live with this totally irrational fear or get the answers and help that will truly put you on the healing path. Good luck and as always...

Positive thoughts