Hello sir, I have read that if the symptoms of Acute Infection Occur, that this is the beginning of seroconversion, and that when seroconversion begins, an Elisa test will show up positive within a month. Is this correct? For example, a week after a low risk activity, I got a fever and felt crappy for a day. Seven weeks after these symptoms, and * weeks after the exposure, I was tested by Home Access, and it came back Negative. My question is not weather or not I have HIV, but does this negative test mean that the symptoms I experienced seven weeks prior WERE NOT HIV related? Once again, I do realize that a two month test is not conclusive, I am just wondering if it rules out my symptoms seven weeks prior. Thank you and I appreciate your response. Curious

It's hard to pin down the exact beginning of symptoms, because the acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), can range from no symptoms to very severe symptoms in different people. People may also forget what symptoms they actually had if they are diagnosed well after seroconversion. Usually symptoms start before antibodies form. An antibody test can become positive within a month, but may take 3 or 4 months to become positive. A negative antibody test at 8 weeks is a good sign. The symptoms could still be related to HIV, but its highly unlikely. MH