What Do Faint Lines In HIV Rapid Test Indicate?

Posted on Thu, 17 Apr 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 17 Apr 2014 Answered on

Tue, 6 May 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi Sir, How are you. Sir hope you remember me. The pressure of getting HIV has been extraordinary so I went for the test once more were i did Rapid+Elisa + Pcr The pressure became double this time . as my sisters advice I agreed for a rapid test which had only 1 line in "C" for first 20 minutes then after 40 minutes I saw the lancet it had a faint line in it i was shocked and terrified .but my sister told me it is negative only not positive so I said I am not taking risk on my family .so she ordered a ELISA + P24 test which by gods grace came out negative . PCR results I am still waiting should be getting it today. Question : 1. What would be the reason that my result came positive after 40 minutes in RAPID ( Serum based )? ( I had severe cold that time ) 2. I am facing a problem of excess of sweating in my palm and foot for the past 3 days ( I am taking tablets for the depression as my psycartist instructed will it cause such problem )? Regard's XXXX

Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (43 hours later)

Brief Answer: Faint line is of no importance in your observation Detailed Answer: Hello young fellow, Welcome again to the forum. I have gone through your present query with complete diligence and I am on my firm stand that you are completely alright and there is no HIV infection in you. Regarding your queries: It can never happen in any of immunological testing, especially for HIV testing that it comes positive and then negative. I have never ever seen or read or even heard such kind of results. I have many time seen that one observes faint line. These faint line are observed due to the color of reagents and buffers used in testing. In HIV testing we believe in either a XXXXXXX deep mark present or absent. So it is all or none phenomenon. A faint line is of no importance in such testing and especially observed by you. Your sister did the right thing to perform a ELISA test to clear all your doubts (a lot of thanks to her). So do not worry about your observation of faint line and do not take its status as positive test. AS I told you previously also that none of medication or any thing can affect your results in your case. So taking or not taking any of tablets for excess of sweating will also not have any effect on your testing. Your PCR results will also come negative and therefore just relax. Do give me a follow up of your PCR NEGATIVE result. So do not worry about any possibility of HIV. I hope these information will relax you. If you have any further queries I will be glad to help. "Wish you good health" Regards, Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (6 hours later)

Hi Sir, Good morning .. Actually it came negative first 20 minutes and then turned to positive after 40 mins. Any way my PCR test results has come but it is for HIV-1.. On the same day Elisa + P 24 was done to cover HIV-2 . Both the test's were done on ( 147 days ) after my exposure . Sir I have attached the report and kindly give me reply. Question : 1. will Elisa antibody cover HIV -2 ? 2. Viral load test was also done kindly give me feed back? Regard's XXXX

Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: You are crystal clear Detailed Answer: Hello young fellow, First of congrats to you for getting negative result. As I told you in my previous mail that you result will come negative and therefore you find the results accordingly. Can you get an important point that I am sitting thousand of miles away from you and even then how sure I was for yourself!!! This is because of the science behind eery of thing related to medical sciences and the facts related to it. So negative results is negative and there should snot be any doubts related to it. For God sake now do not go for any testing in future. You are crystal clear means you do not require any further testing. Now for your part of queries: ELISA Antibody covers both HIV -1 & 2. For your part of knowledge HIV -2 is present only in very less of number of subjects in south Africa only. So you do not think of possibility of HIV 2 also. Viral load is one of the best method done by PCR at 147 day. In my patients I have never seen that if a person is HIV positive and his viral load is not detected. It is therefore so sensitive method that if a person is positive then can detect even 50 viruses per ml. Though in HIV positive generally there are millions of copies per ml. So young man you got the best tests done to confirm your negative status. Relax and enjoy your healthy life with your family. I hope I cleared all your doubts. My all best wishes for you. Do give me a follow up when you become father of a healthy second child. All best wishes to you, Regards, Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar