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HIV Antibody Testing
What You Need to Know About HIV Antibody Testing
HIV antibody testing detects for HIV antibodies, NOT the HIV virus itself—an important fact to consider when receiving HIV antibody results. The human immune system creates HIV antibodies as a response to an HIV infection, but it usually takes anywhere from 10 days to 3 months, perhaps longer in some cases, from the day of infection for the body to create enough anti-bodies to be detected in a blood test. Because of this delay, a negative HIV antibody test result does NOT guarantee that someone is not infected with HIV.
It is important to understand the HIV antibody testing process and its limitations, especially when making decisions about sexual risk based on HIV antibody test results.
A negative result:
Does NOT rule out that HIV infection may have occurred in the weeks and months before the antibody test.
Does NOT guarantee that a person is not infected with the virus.
Means that no ANTIBODIES were detected in the blood tested. HIV can be present in the blood before antibodies are detectable.
If a sex partner assures you that he tested HIV negative, keep these things in mind:
Any high-risk sexual behavior he engaged in during the 3 months before the test might not be reflected in that negative antibody test result.
In a recent study of men who have sex with men, 70% of men aged 20-29 who tested HIV positive had believed they were HIV negative — so keep in mind that even though someone may honestly believe they are HIV negative, that doesn’t mean they are.
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Fenway offers FREE HIV testing and counseling.
Please call 617.267.0159 for more information.
Remember, early detection of HIV infection can increase your options around taking care of your health and making decisions about treatment, as well as protecting the health of your sexual partners. GET TESTED!
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