I donated blood in Dec 05, and my results came back inconclusive. Here are my results: HIV-1 (EIA)- POS HIV_1 Western Blot- Indeterminate NAT (HIV)- NEG I went to my physician for a follow up test as advised by the Red Cross who also informed me that In almost all cases like mine the individual is later found not to be infected. The results from my doctor came back Negative. This test was done in Jan 06. Is it likely that I am infected or not? Please advise. Thank you in advance Gab.

Hi Gab,

You are HIV negative. Period. End of story.

You can read in the archives all about the reasons you may have had an inconclusive/indeterminate result from the blood bank screening. There you'll also find many stories similar to yours and all have the same happy conclusion.

Briefly, the HIV screening performed by blood-donation centers is designed to protect the blood supply. As a result, they have set the screening so that it picks up as many truly HIV-positive folks as possible, even erring on the side of being over sensitive. That means also picking up some folks who are not really HIV positive (false positives or inconclusives). This type of testing, again, is done only to protect blood supply, not to diagnose folks as HIV positive or negative. Your follow-up tests clearly indicate you are conclusively and definitively HIV negative.

Dr. Bob