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HIV Window - Really Stressing over this!!
Nov 15, 2004
Dr. Sullivan -
I would greatly appreciate your insight on this!
Most information, of course, says a 3 month HIV test is what's definitive. However, in the archives, I found where you said that usually HIV antibodies can be detected after only about 2-4 weeks.
Is this still accurate information? I ask because I had an encounter of concern nearly six weeks ago... very low risk to my understanding, brief unprotected oral (I received for a few minutes, and gave to him for really only a few seconds and he did not ejaculate). I got a preliminary HIV test (rapid test at anonymous clinic) done at 27 days, or one day before four weeks. It was negative.
I will do follow up testing at the 3-month mark just to be sure, but how reliable was my first test? Is it a pretty good indication (especially combined with my low risk in the first place) that I do not have HIV? Or, as some have suggested, is it meaningless? My 3-month mark isn't until January, and I just want to be able to relax over the holidays with my family, knowing that I'm very likely okay.
Thanks in advance for your response.
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Response from Dr. Sullivan
The majority of individuals will have antibodies to HIV by 27 days post infection; your negative test and low risk exposure indicate you are not infected[>99% certainty]; followup test at 12 weeks will confirm and give you 100% accuracy; JLS.
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