Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Are The Symptoms Of HIV?
Question: Doctor I was tested at 51 days for HIV in australia and the test came back negative. This was in august last year and everytime i get a cold or a red blotch on my skin I am freaking out. I was happy with my negative response and now I am too scared to go back to get tested again. The stress is causing me to lose sleep and worry non stop. I suppose mt question is, is a 51 day test enough?
Brief Answer:
Most likely you are safe; what was the test employed at 51 days?
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
Hiv screen test involves detecting circulating antigens and/or antibodies against the virus.
Antigens become detectable at 2 weeks and these may persist for another 2 weeks whereas most of the affected individuals will have detectable antibodies by 4 weeks & they remain so thereafter.
However, a small fraction of individuals may still not have detectable antibodies at 4 weeks, however, most of these will subsequently develop circulating antibodies by 12 weeks (window period) i.e almost all the infected individuals have detectable antibodies at 12 weeks.
Once antibodies appear antigens may no longer be detectable.
A screening test for Hiv is ideally done at 4 weeks initially.
Screening test may be an antibody based test or it may detect both antigen as well as antibody, depending on the test employed..
I would like to know the screening test that you went through? Whether it was an antibody based test Or it was both antigen/ antibody based?
If your screening test was an antibody based test then ideally it should be repeated at 12 weeks Or 90 days for it to be conclusive.
However if your screening test was an antigen/ antibody based test then even a 4 weeks test is conclusive.
However, as I said before that most of the infected individuals have detectable antibodies by 4 weeks.
Repeat testing at 12 weeks is only to cover for the window period of HIV in small fraction of individuals who may not have detectable antibodies as early as 4 weeks.
Therefore since your 51 days test was negative, most likely you are negative however if it was purely an antibody based test it should be repeated at 12 weeks, just to be on the safer side.
Regards
Most likely you are safe; what was the test employed at 51 days?
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
Hiv screen test involves detecting circulating antigens and/or antibodies against the virus.
Antigens become detectable at 2 weeks and these may persist for another 2 weeks whereas most of the affected individuals will have detectable antibodies by 4 weeks & they remain so thereafter.
However, a small fraction of individuals may still not have detectable antibodies at 4 weeks, however, most of these will subsequently develop circulating antibodies by 12 weeks (window period) i.e almost all the infected individuals have detectable antibodies at 12 weeks.
Once antibodies appear antigens may no longer be detectable.
A screening test for Hiv is ideally done at 4 weeks initially.
Screening test may be an antibody based test or it may detect both antigen as well as antibody, depending on the test employed..
I would like to know the screening test that you went through? Whether it was an antibody based test Or it was both antigen/ antibody based?
If your screening test was an antibody based test then ideally it should be repeated at 12 weeks Or 90 days for it to be conclusive.
However if your screening test was an antigen/ antibody based test then even a 4 weeks test is conclusive.
However, as I said before that most of the infected individuals have detectable antibodies by 4 weeks.
Repeat testing at 12 weeks is only to cover for the window period of HIV in small fraction of individuals who may not have detectable antibodies as early as 4 weeks.
Therefore since your 51 days test was negative, most likely you are negative however if it was purely an antibody based test it should be repeated at 12 weeks, just to be on the safer side.
Regards
Note: Get personalized answers to your HIV related queries You can choose to talk face to face with your doctor. Book a Video Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
